Stilpnia meyerdeschauenseei
The Green-capped Tanager (Stilpnia meyerdeschauenseei) is a vibrant passerine measuring approximately 13 cm (5.1 in) in length and weighing around 18-22 grams, distinguished by its brilliant plumage. This striking bird exhibits a distinctive emerald-green cap, contrasting sharply with a broad, velvety black mask that covers its lores and ear-coverts. Its upperparts are a rich leaf-green, while the underparts glow with a brilliant yellow, often showing a slight greenish wash on the flanks. Bla...
This tanager primarily inhabits humid montane forests and cloud forests, often found at forest edges and clearings. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from approximately 800 to 1800 meters above sea level in its Andean range.
Its diet consists primarily of small arthropods, which it gleans from foliage and bark, supplemented significantly by various small fruits and berries. It forages actively by hopping and short flights within the forest canopy.
The Green-capped Tanager is a diurnal species, spending its days actively foraging high in the canopy and sub-canopy. It frequently joins mixed-species flocks, moving efficiently through the foliage to glean insects from leaves and small branches. While specific details on its territorial behavio...
The Green-capped Tanager is a non-migratory resident species with a restricted distribution along the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Peru and western Bolivia. Its primary range extends from the Department of Puno in southeastern Peru, southward through the departments of La Paz, Cochabam...
Least Concern
- The Green-capped Tanager was originally described in 1969 by H.R. DeSchauensee and W.H. Phelps Jr., relatively recently for an Andean bird. - Its scientific name, *meyerdeschauenseei*, honors Rodolphe Meyer de Schauensee, a prominent American ornithologist. - This species is a classic "cloud fo...