Bird Name:

Blue-necked Tanager

Latin Name:

Tangara cyanicollis

Status:

Least Concern

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Thraupidae

Genus: Tangara

Species: T. cyanicollis

General Information:

The Blue-necked Tanager is a South American species in the Thraupidae family. There are 7 subspecies of T. cyanicollis.

Physical Description:

The Blue-necked Tanager averages 12 cm in length and weighs approximately 17 g. They have a blue hood and throat. The wing coverts, wing edges, and rump are turquoise to a greenish straw color. The posterior underparts are black, violet, or blue. The juveniles are brownish gray, with a hint of adult coloration. Coloration of adults varies slightly by region. The beaks, legs, and feet are black.

Diet:

The diet of the Blue-necked Tanager consists of fruits, berries, flower blossoms and insects. Tanagers will pick insects from leaves, or sometimes in flight, but fruit is the major dietary item.

Habitat:

The Blue-necked Tanager occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It inhabits subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, moist montanes, and heavily degraded former forests. It has a large elevation range of 300 to 2400 meters above sea level, although they are most common above 1000 m. This species prefers semi-open areas and forest edges.

Reproduction:

The female builds a cup nest of moss, usually well concealed, and lays an average of 2 white eggs with brown spotting. Incubation is 13-14 days and the ****** fledge after 15-16 days. The male and female feed the nestlings on insects and fruit, and may be assisted by helpers.

By: Tony Mandarich

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