The Hooded Mountain-Tanager is easily recognizable due to its striking appearance. Its shiny blue back, black head, and bright red eyes create a dramatic contrast against its vibrant lemon-yellow bib and belly.
The hooded mountain tanager, scientifically known as Buthraupis montana, boasts a striking appearance with its shimmering blue upper parts and yellow breast and belly. It is further enhanced by a black hood and throat complemented with captivating red eyes. This gorgeous bird measures 23 centimeters (9.1 in) and weighs 85 grams (3.0 oz), making it one of the biggest tanagers out there. In fact, only the white-capped tanager surpasses it in weight.
Birds inhabiting the southern region of their habitat feature a striking light blue band around their nape area. These avian creatures can be effortlessly distinguished from the Black-chested Mountain Tanager (Buthraupis exima) by the vibrant blue shade on their back, as opposed to green, and their vivid red eyes.
The avian species inhabits the forested regions of the mountainous zones in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The picture credit goes to Joao Quental, who took the photo under CC BY 2.0 license. These types of forests are usually found on the wet mountainsides of the Andes, particularly at heights of 2200 to 3500 meters.
This bird’s breeding habits are not extensively documented, but it seems that they mate between October and January. Other birds like them typically lay 3-5 eggs at a time, with the female responsible for incubating them for 10-13 days. After hatching, these chicks generally become independent within 8-11 days.
The hooded mountain tanager prefers to feast on arthropods such as insects and spiders, although it has also been spotted munching on berries.
The bird makes moderate sounds throughout the year, but it’s known for its singing while flying above the trees during sunset. It’s classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Check out the video below to see this bird in action.