Piranga rubriceps
The Red-hooded Tanager, *Piranga rubriceps*, is a striking Neotropical songbird celebrated for its vibrant plumage. Adult males boast an unmistakable bright scarlet-red hood that extends from the crown down to the breast, contrasting sharply with an orange-red body and dusky wings and tail. Females present a more subdued but still beautiful appearance, with an orange-yellow head and olive-yellow underparts, distinguishing them from males. Measuring approximately 17-18 cm (6.7-7.1 inches) in l...
Found primarily in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and forest borders, ranging from 1,800 to 3,000 meters (5,900-9,800 feet) in elevation.
Feeds primarily on a variety of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, and ants, supplemented with small fruits and berries.
Red-hooded Tanagers are diurnal and highly active, often foraging busily through the canopy and subcanopy. They employ a 'gleaning' foraging strategy, meticulously picking insects and fruits from foliage, twigs, and bark. While generally observed in pairs or solitarily, they frequently join mixed...
The Red-hooded Tanager is endemic to the northern Andes, with a discontinuous distribution spanning from west-central Colombia, through Ecuador, and south into northern Peru. In Colombia, it is found primarily in the Central and Western Andes. Its range in Ecuador is concentrated along the easter...
Least Concern
- The Red-hooded Tanager was historically classified with 'true tanagers' in the family Thraupidae, but DNA studies moved it to Cardinalidae, the family of cardinals and grosbeaks. - Its dazzling scarlet hood is one of the most vibrant red plumages found among birds in its Andean habitat. - Despi...