Bangsia edwardsi
The Moss-backed Tanager (Bangsia edwardsi) is a striking passerine bird endemic to the humid western slopes of the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador. Males are instantly recognizable by their velvety black head and throat, contrasting sharply with brilliant moss-green plumage covering the back, wings, and underparts, often with a slightly yellowish wash on the belly. Females exhibit a duller, more olive-green head and upperparts, with paler underparts, but retain the species' characteristic overa...
This species primarily inhabits humid subtropical and tropical montane forests, cloud forests, and forest edges. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 900 to 2,000 meters (3,000-6,500 feet) along the Andean slopes.
Their diet consists primarily of insects and other small arthropods, supplemented with small fruits and berries. They forage by gleaning actively from foliage and branches within the forest canopy and mid-story.
Moss-backed Tanagers are diurnal birds, often observed moving discreetly through the mid-story and canopy of their dense forest habitat. They can be seen singly, in pairs, or occasionally in small family groups, but are most frequently encountered as participants in mixed-species foraging flocks,...
The Moss-backed Tanager is endemic to the humid western (Pacific) slopes of the Andes mountains in northwestern South America. Its distribution extends from southwestern Colombia, primarily within the Nariño department, southward through western Ecuador. In Ecuador, it can be found across northwe...
Least Concern
- The Moss-backed Tanager is one of four Bangsia species endemic to the Chocó bioregion, a global biodiversity hotspot. - Its scientific name, Bangsia edwardsi, honors French zoologist Henri Milne-Edwards, while the genus is named after American ornithologist Outram Bangs. - The species' vibrant ...