Nemosia pileata
The Hooded Tanager (Nemosia pileata) is a striking, small passerine bird, renowned for its distinctive plumage, particularly in males. Measuring approximately 12-13 cm (4.7-5.1 in) in length and weighing around 12-15 grams, males exhibit a glossy black cap extending to the nape, contrasting sharply with a pure white throat and underparts. Their back is a soft grey, while the flanks and rump glow with a vibrant yellow. Females are generally duller, presenting a greyish-brown cap and less inten...
This tanager primarily inhabits open woodlands, forest edges, clearings with scattered trees, gallery forests, and secondary growth from lowlands up to moderate elevations, typically below 1400 meters.
Their diet consists primarily of small insects, including caterpillars, beetles, and ants, supplemented with a variety of small fruits and berries. They forage by gleaning from foliage and occasional aerial sallies.
Hooded Tanagers are diurnal and highly active, often foraging in the canopy and sub-canopy layers. They are frequently observed in pairs or small family groups, but are also prominent members of mixed-species foraging flocks, moving deliberately through foliage. Foraging involves gleaning insects...
The Hooded Tanager is a widely distributed resident species found across a broad swathe of South America. Its range extends from eastern Colombia, eastern Peru, eastern Bolivia, and much of central and eastern Brazil, south through Paraguay, to northeastern Argentina, and west into parts of Frenc...
Least Concern
- The genus name 'Nemosia' is derived from Greek, referring to 'new forest' or 'grove', hinting at its preferred habitat. - Males possess one of the most distinctive and clean-cut cap patterns among all Neotropical tanagers. - Despite its vivid plumage, its small size and arboreal habits can make...