Anisognathus melanogenys
The Santa Marta Mountain Tanager (Anisognathus melanogenys) is a strikingly beautiful and highly range-restricted passerine, endemic to the isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range in northern Colombia. Measuring approximately 18-19 cm (7-7.5 in) in length and weighing between 34-45 g (1.2-1.6 oz), this medium-sized tanager boasts a vivid blue-violet plumage across its body. Its most distinctive field marks include a deep black face and throat, contrasting sharply with a bright ye...
Exclusively inhabits humid montane and cloud forests, elfin forests, and forest edges, primarily at elevations between 1,500 and 3,200 meters, though occasionally recorded as low as 1,000 meters.
Primarily omnivorous, consuming a mix of arthropods (insects, spiders) gleaned from foliage and a variety of small fruits, berries, and occasionally nectar.
This diurnal tanager is typically observed actively foraging in the upper to mid-canopy, often in pairs or small family groups. It is a highly social species, frequently joining mixed-species flocks alongside other tanagers, warblers, and furnariids, moving methodically through the dense foliage....
The Santa Marta Mountain Tanager is exclusively restricted to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta massif, an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia. This includes parts of the Colombian departments of Magdalena, La Guajira, and Cesar. It is a non-migratory, resident species found year-round wi...
Near Threatened
- The Santa Marta Mountain Tanager is a 'single-mountain endemic,' meaning it is found nowhere else in the world except the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. - Its scientific name, 'melanogenys,' is derived from Greek and means 'black cheek,' directly referring to its distinctive facial markings. - T...