Cissopis leverianus
The Magpie Tanager, *Cissopis leverianus*, is a striking, large passerine notable for its resemblance to true magpies, though it belongs to the Tanager family (Thraupidae). Measuring approximately 23-28 cm (9-11 inches) in length, with a significantly long, graduated tail contributing up to 15 cm (6 inches) of that length, it presents a bold black-and-white plumage. Its head, throat, upperparts, and wings are glossy black, contrasting sharply with a pristine white belly and a prominent white ...
This species favors the edges of humid lowland and montane forests, clearings, secondary growth, riverine woodlands, and often frequents coffee plantations and gardens, generally found from sea level up to 2000 meters, occasionally higher.
The Magpie Tanager has an omnivorous diet, primarily consisting of insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and orthopterans, supplemented significantly by a variety of fruits, berries, and occasionally seeds. They mainly forage by gleaning food items from foliage and branches.
Magpie Tanagers are diurnal birds, often observed in pairs or small family groups, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging flocks. They are active foragers, gleaning insects and fruits from foliage, branches, and occasionally the ground, moving deliberately through the mid-story and subcanopy. W...
The Magpie Tanager is a widely distributed resident species across much of South America, with its range extending from northern Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, south through Peru, Bolivia, and parts of Brazil, reaching into Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. Its distribution is generally ass...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name and striking black-and-white plumage, the Magpie Tanager is not related to true magpies (family Corvidae) but belongs to the tanager family (Thraupidae). - Its exceptionally long, graduated tail can make up more than half of its total body length, giving it a distinctive...