Olive-green Tanager

Orthogonys chloricterus

The Olive-green Tanager (Orthogonys chloricterus) is a subtly charming passerine, measuring approximately 18-19 cm in length and weighing between 30-40 grams. Its plumage is uniformly dull olive-green across the back, head, and upperparts, with a slightly paler, more yellowish-olive wash on its lower belly and vent, and dusky flight feathers. This species lacks dramatic coloration or striking patterns, making its identification often reliant on its overall shape, size, and distinctive vocaliz...

Habitat

This species exclusively inhabits humid evergreen subtropical and tropical forests, favoring both primary and mature secondary growth, as well as forest edges, typically at elevations ranging from 500 to 1500 meters.

Diet

Its diet consists primarily of insects, which it gleans from foliage and branches, supplemented with various fruits and occasionally nectar, making it an omnivore.

Behavior

The Olive-green Tanager is a diurnal bird, renowned for its active foraging style, often participating in large, noisy mixed-species flocks that can include other tanagers, antbirds, and ovenbirds. It primarily forages in the mid-story to canopy, meticulously gleaning insects from leaves and bran...

Range

The Olive-green Tanager is endemic to the humid evergreen forests of southeastern Brazil, specifically within the highly biodiverse Atlantic Forest biome. Its distribution extends from southern Bahia through Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina, hist...

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fun Facts

- The Olive-green Tanager is the sole species in its genus, *Orthogonys*, making it a unique evolutionary lineage within the vast tanager family. - Despite its relatively plain appearance, it is highly sought after by birders visiting the Atlantic Forest due to its restricted range and unique tax...

Back to Encyclopedia