Saltator cinctus
The Masked Saltator (*Saltator cinctus*) is a striking neotropical songbird belonging to the tanager family, Thraupidae, though it was formerly classified with cardinals. Measuring approximately 20 cm (8 inches) in length and weighing 40-50 grams, its most distinctive feature is a bold black facial mask contrasting sharply with a bright white supercilium that extends from the lore to behind the eye. Its upperparts are a plain slate-gray, transitioning to clean white on the underparts, often w...
This species primarily inhabits humid montane cloud forests and forest edges, as well as adjacent secondary growth, typically at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 meters, occasionally reaching up to 3,000 meters. It shows a preference for areas with dense understory and ample fruiting trees.
The Masked Saltator's diet is primarily omnivorous, consisting of a mix of fruits and berries gleaned directly from trees and shrubs, supplemented by insects and other arthropods picked from foliage.
Masked Saltators are generally diurnal, active throughout the day foraging and singing, often maintaining a solitary presence or moving in pairs. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects from foliage and branches, as well as plucking fruits and berries from trees and shrubs. While specif...
The Masked Saltator possesses a relatively restricted and disjunct geographic distribution, found exclusively in the humid montane regions of the northern and central Andes. Its range extends from southern Colombia, specifically Nariño department, south through the inter-Andean valleys and easter...
Least Concern
- The Masked Saltator's striking black facial mask, contrasting with a bright white supercilium, makes it one of the most distinctly marked species within the *Saltator* genus. - Despite its "Saltator" name, which means "leaper" or "dancer," this species is more often observed moving deliberately...