Tangara chilensis
The Paradise Tanager (*Tangara chilensis*) is an avian jewel of the Neotropics, celebrated for its astonishingly vibrant plumage. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 in) in length and weighing around 20-25 grams, this small passerine boasts an iridescent emerald-green head, a velvety black upper back, a brilliant sky-blue belly, and a fiery scarlet rump. Its striking coloration, which appears almost artificial in its intensity, makes it one of the most easily identifiable and sought-aft...
This tanager primarily inhabits humid lowland and foothill tropical and subtropical forests, frequently found along forest edges, in secondary growth, and disturbed woodlands, typically below 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) in elevation.
Their diet consists mainly of small fruits, particularly berries, and a variety of arthropods, which they forage for by gleaning from leaves and branches in the forest canopy.
Paradise Tanagers are diurnal and highly active, often observed gleaning insects and small fruits from the canopy and subcanopy layers of the forest. They are quintessential members of mixed-species foraging flocks, moving rapidly through the foliage alongside other tanagers, euphonias, and woodc...
The Paradise Tanager is a widespread resident throughout much of the Amazon basin and the Guiana Shield in northern South America. Its extensive distribution includes eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and a sign...
Least Concern
- The Paradise Tanager's vibrant colors are largely structural, meaning they are created by the microscopic structure of their feathers reflecting light, rather than just pigments. - Despite its extravagant plumage, its vocalizations are surprisingly simple, consisting mainly of high-pitched chir...