Thraupidae | Morten Ross

Archive for 'Thraupidae'

Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala)

A commonly seen bird in its range in Ecuador, and frequently seen at feeding stations providing fruits. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1034 meters

Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala)

A commonly seen bird in its range in Ecuador, and frequently seen at feeding stations providing fruits. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1034 meters

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

In most species humanity has named them after traits of the male, but some go for the female, as is the case for the green honeycreeper where the female is green. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1034 meters

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

The female green honeycreeper blends in well with the foliage. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1034 meters

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

In most species humanity has named them after traits of the male, but some go for the female, as is the case for the green honeycreeper where the female is green. A female on this perch would be hard to see against the greens of the forest as she herself is just as green. It […]

Golden-collared Honeycreeper (Iridophanes pulcherrimus)

An incredible combination of colors and patterns. Although it will visit feeding stations, I only encountered it one place, and that was here in Mashpi. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1310 meters

Lemon-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus flammigerus ssp. icteronotus)

A juvenile female. The male is all black, except for the lemon-colored rump. A species commonly seen on feeding stations in it’s range in Ecuador. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1310 meters

Flame-faced Tanager (Tangara parzudakii)

Most tanagers are incredibly colorful birds, and this is no exception. It’s common in its range in Ecuador and visits gardens with fruiting trees and feeding stations. This is in the cloud forest and the fog comes and goes, and this was shot during a brief window of slightly less fog. Other times the birds […]

Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager (Anisognathus notabilis)

A tanager commonly seen eating from fruiting trees in gardens and from feeding stations throughout its range in Ecuador. The image seems dim or foggy, and is exactly what it is as this is in the cloud forest. At times the fog was so dense there was nothing to see – even if it was […]

Swallow Tanager (Tersina viridis)

My first and only brief encounter of this species, at San Jorge Eco-lodge Tandayapa. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1749 meters

Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager (Anisognathus somptuosus)

A brief encounter at at San Jorge Eco-lodge Tandayapa. It sounds like this: Elevation: 1749 meters

Black Flowerpiercer (Diglossa humeralis)

As the name implies this is a species that take a short-cut to the nectar by piercing the flower at its base, and with it also circumvents the pollination of the flowers it pierces. Thus the flower is not getting anything in return. This behavior is seen in many species, even some insect species will […]

Green honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

A female foraging for food at a feeding station offering various types of fruits. It sounds like this:

Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)

A common bird frequenting feeding stations where fruit is found. This is the male of the species. It sounds like this:

Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)

A common bird frequenting feeding stations where fruit is found. This is the female of the species. It sounds like this:

Green honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

A spotty plumage reveals this is a male juvenile of the species. It’s a common species in its range and is a frequent visitor of the fruiting trees as well as to the feeding stations offering fruits of choice. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Red-legged honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)

A female foraging for fruit and not easily seen when doing so in the canopy. But here it’s out in the open, tempted by delicious fruits handed out by humans. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Scarlet-rumped tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii)

Opposed to the bland plumage of the female, which might look like a different species altogether, the male is unmistakeble. A common species in its range and a frequent visitor to human offerings of fruits and feeding stations and fruiting trees. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Plain-colored Tanager (Tangara inornata)

When people think of tanagers they think of brightly colored birds, but some are drab and inconspicuous and named as such. They are equally attracted to fruiting trees and handouts in people’s gardens. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Scarlet-rumped tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii)

As with most bird species, the female is inconspicuous and bland compared to the male, and more often than not the species is also named after the male. This species is a frequent visitor to feeding stations when they offer fruits, and to fruiting trees in gardens. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Golden-hooded tanager (Tangara larvata)

Tanagers are beautifully colored bird species, and golden-hooded tanager is no exception. Fortunately many of them will gladly feast on human handouts like bananas and papaya so we can sit back and enjoy their behavior. It sounds like this: Elevation: 73 meters

Pampa Finch (Embernagra platensis)

An omnivore that knows how to harvest left overs from tourists, and this one was definitely accustomed to people as it was keeping a close eye on my lunch. It quickly turned its attention to a huge earthworm, and I wondered why and what it could possibly do with such a huge slippery tube of […]

Diademed Tanager (Stephanophorus diadematus)

On the way to the Itatiaia park entrance, towards Agulhas Negras, you’ll find the only sturdy man-made construction – a bridge painted in white. From here you have great views of the montane forest, the land below and the shrubs and small trees in the gully below in particular. Altitude: 2146 metres. It sounds like […]

Brassy-breasted Tanager (Tangara desmaresti)

Sayaca Tanager (Thraupis sayaca)

One of several species of birds seen in the garden of Hotel do Ype. Altitude: 1021 metres. It sounds like this:

Magpie Tanager (Cissopis leverianus)

Only once did I see this species while at Hotel do ype. It definitely resembles a magpie! Altitude: 1021 metres.

Green-headed Tanager (Tangara seledon)

One of the spectacular birds seen around Hotel do Ype, and perhaps the most photographed. Altitude: 1021 metres. It sounds like this:

Golden-chevroned Tanager (Thraupis ornata)

One of several species of birds seen in the garden of Hotel do Ype. Altitude: 1021 metres. It sounds like this:

Black-goggled Tanager (Trichothraupis melanops)

One of several bird species seen in the gardens of Hotel do Ype. The hard to see yellow streak on the head. Altitude: 1021 metres. It sounds like this:

Ruby-crowned Tanager (Tachyphonus coronatus)

One of several species of birds seen in the garden of Hotel do Ype. This is the female. Altitude: 1021 metres. Thanks to Fritz73 for identification of the male. Thanks to Andrew Whitehouse for identification of the female. It sounds like this:

Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo)

My room was in what could best compare with a cul-de-sac – at the very end of the new complex of Cristalino Jungle Lodge, and from my room I could watch all the various birds visiting this fruiting bush. Yet another visitor of this bush, albeit less frequent than for instance the short-billed honeycreeper. It […]

Short-billed Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes nitidus)

My room was in what could best compare with a cul-de-sac – at the very end of the new complex of Cristalino Jungle Lodge, and from my room I could watch all the various birds visiting this fruiting bush. This honeycreeper was perhaps the most frequent visitor. Life’s easy as long as there’s fruit here, […]

White-shouldered Tanager (Tachyphonus luctuosus)

Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana)

One of several colorful canopy-dwelling birds I encountered on the western canopy tower of Cristalino Jungle Lodge. It sounds like this:

Greyish Saltator (Saltator coerulescens)

As I was slowly moving on the river of Fazenda San Francisco I noticed this bird together with a Black-capped Donacobius in a dense thicket on the riverside. If you don’t see it, learn about it’s wonderful song, as you’ll most likely hear it. Thanks to Niels Larsen for identification. It sounds like this:

Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata)

As I was photographing the water plants I encountered this nesting yellow-billed cardinal. As you can see it’s panting in the hot evening sun and naturally it was reluctant to move away from the eggs, even though I got quite close before I noticed it. It sounds like this:

Red-capped Cardinal (Paroaria gularis)

The fully mature adult. It sounds like this:

Red-capped Cardinal (Paroaria gularis)

A juvenile. It sounds like this:

Masked Flowerpiercer (Diglossopis cyanea)

This individual was quite predictable, as it kept coming back to this branch – in what seemed like a display of peekaboo. With bright colors and a blood red iris to match, it was definitely seen out on the branch, and when business was done – drinking from the hummingbird feeders – it hid in […]

Glossy Flowerpiercer (Diglossa lafresnayii)

It sounds like this: Altitude 3560 metres.

Red-capped Cardinal (Paroaria gularis)

One couple was nesting underneath the pier. I first thought they roosted there during the nights, but one day I was swimming I noticed the nest. They seem to feel secured by the human activities to and fro, day in and out, but when I checked out the nest from above one day, it created […]

Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala)

Yet another of the small birds I only saw once and thus got just one shot at here at Tinalandia. It sounds like this: