The Surprising Splendor: Celebrating the Ordinary Elegance of Multihued Avian Species

Introducing the Green-headed Tanager, a stunning little bird that loves to live in the canopy of moist forests and boasts a variety of vibrant colors.

The green-headed tanager, scientifically known as Tangara seledon, is a stunning bird that usually inhabits the lush Atlantic forest. You might be surprised to know that its flashy feathers actually help it blend into its surroundings. The male boasts a colorful and intricate plumage, featuring aquamarine-green on its head, nape, and chin, as well as a broad yellow-green band across the nape and upper mantle. Its back and scapulars are black, while its rump is a lovely shade of orange-yellow, and its upper-tail coverts are a bright apple-green.

The appearance of the female is quite similar to the male, but with slightly duller colors. As for the juvenile birds, they don’t have the same vibrancy as the adults.

The aforementioned species can commonly be found in regions of southeastern Brazil, adjacent areas of southeastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.

The Green-headed Tanager mainly nourishes itself with fruits and arthropods. Its sources include both cultivated and wild fruits, berries found in bromeliads, and other similar food items. The tanager typically forages in pairs or small groups, often consisting of up to 20 birds. It may also join mixed-species flocks while searching for food. Known for its acrobatic movements, this active forager hops along branches, glean from leaf surfaces and bark, and manipulates fruits using its bill.

During the Green-headed Tanager’s breeding season, they form monogamous pairs and construct a compact cup-shaped nest using grass and leaves, lined with soft materials. The male and female both participate in nest-building, laying eggs, and incubation. The male occasionally feeds the female during courtship. The female lays 2-3 pale eggs, which hatch after an incubation period of 13-14 days. The young birds fledge around 14-18 days after hatching and continue to rely on their parents for food for several weeks. They often attempt a second brood, and young birds from previous broods may stay with the adults for several months during their first year.

Even though the Green-headed Tanager is no longer present in some areas that have been recently deforested and is not found in remaining woodlands in southeastern Brazil, it is not considered endangered at the moment. It can be rare or fairly common in certain locations and is often only found in protected areas.

The information in this article is sourced from Wikipedia.org, which is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Images on this page belong to their respective photographers and should be used with permission or according to their individual license terms. The subject of the article is a bird with a beautifully subtle color palette, featuring shades of cinnamon, yellow, and orange that create a highly luminous effect visible from any angle.

Scroll to Top