Tephrophilus wetmorei
The Masked Mountain Tanager (Tephrophilus wetmorei) is a striking and elusive songbird, endemic to the high-altitude cloud forests of the northern Andes. Measuring approximately 17.5-19 cm in length and weighing between 30.5-38.5 g, this species is instantly recognizable by its vivid coloration. Its upperparts are a deep, shimmering indigo-blue, contrasting sharply with a prominent velvety-black facial mask that extends to its throat and upper breast. The underparts, from the lower breast to ...
Found exclusively in humid montane forests, cloud forests, and their borders, particularly favoring areas with Chusquea bamboo. Typically inhabits elevations between 2600 and 3400 meters, though occasionally ranging from 2000 to 3600 meters.
Primarily omnivorous, feeding on a mix of arthropods (gleaned from leaves and bark) and small fruits or berries. Nectar may also be consumed opportunistically.
Masked Mountain Tanagers are diurnal and typically observed singly, in pairs, or small family groups, often participating in mixed-species foraging flocks alongside other tanagers, flycatchers, and ovenbirds. They actively forage in the middle to upper strata of the forest canopy, gleaning insect...
The Masked Mountain Tanager is an endemic resident of the humid montane forests and cloud forests of the northern Andes, with a highly fragmented distribution across specific elevational bands. In Colombia, its range extends through the Central and Eastern Andes, from Antioquia southwards through...
Vulnerable
- The Masked Mountain Tanager is the sole member of its genus, *Tephrophilus*, making it a unique evolutionary branch within the tanager family. - Its scientific name, *wetmorei*, honors Alexander Wetmore, a prominent American ornithologist and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. - Despite ...