Paradise Tanager Fact File

Tangara chilensis

Weight

17g

(0.6oz)

Length

13cm

(5in)

Lifespan

Wild Unknown

Record 14 years

Diet

Omnivore

Fruit and Insects

Conservation Status

IUCN

Least Concern

The paradise tanager is a small, brightly colored bird found in northern South America. Here they live in forest and woodland.

They are omnivorous and feed on a range of fruits, nectar, berries and insects.

Each year they form a small cup shaped nest in to which they deposit two eggs. These hatch within twelve days.

At present the paradise tanager is considered common though they continue to decline in number.

Read on to learn more about these beautiful birds.

Appearance

The paradise tanager is colored green on the side of the face, violet blue across throat turning in to a lighter blue on the belly. The rump is red and the rest of the feathers are black.

While this coloration may seem rather bold it actually blends in with the dark woodland background.

Their small beak is colored black and tapers to a point. The legs and feet share this black coloration.

An average paradise tanager will measure 13cm (5in) long and weigh 17g (0.6oz). Males and females are visibly identical making it hard to tell them apart without DNA testing.

Diet


These birds are omnivores. They will seek out a range of insects along with fruits, nectar and berries.

Much of their foraging takes place in the canopy where they will seek out fruit and insects on the undersides of branches.

Paradise Tanager

Range

South America is the native home of the paradise tanager. Here they can be found in the following countries - Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; French Guiana; Guyana; Peru; Suriname and Venezuela.

Habitat

These birds are found in forest and woodland habitats within lowland areas.

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Reproduction

The nest is formed from vegetation in a cup shape. In to this the female will deposit 2 eggs which are primarily white with some purple-red speckles. These are incubated for 16 days.

Chicks fledge within 12 to 14 days of hatching.

Behavior

These birds move around in small flocks made up of 10 to 15 individuals. Occasionally they may travel with other species of bird.

Paradise Tanager

Predators and Threats

Paradise tanagers are considered common across their range but a full estimate of their population size has not been recorded. At present the population is believed to be declining in size.

Quick facts

These animals are referred to as the yeri yeri by Native tribes due to the sound of their call.


Despite their Latin name of chilensis they are not found in Chile. The other portion of this name Tangara comes from a Tupí word meaning dancer, one who turns and skips.

Paradise Tanager

Photo Credits

Top

Under License


Middle One

Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Middle Two

thibaudaronson, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Bottom

Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

References

BirdLife International. 2016. Tangara chilensisThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22722820A94786489. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22722820A94786489.en. Downloaded on 14 August 2021.

Basel, Z., 2012. Paradise Tanagers – a blaze of colour for the bird house. [online] Zoobasel.ch. Available at: <https://www.zoobasel.ch/en/aktuelles/news/501/siebenfarbentangare-farbenpracht-im-vogelhaus/> [Accessed 15 August 2021].

Basel, Z., 2021. Paradise tanager. [online] Zoobasel.ch. Available at: <https://www.zoobasel.ch/en/tiere/tierlexikon/tierbeschreibung/455/siebenfarbentangar/> [Accessed 15 August 2021].

Peru Aves. 2021. Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis) - Peru Aves. [online] Available at: <https://www.peruaves.org/thraupidae/paradise-tanager-tangara-chilensis/> [Accessed 15 August 2021].

Nejohnston.org. 2021. Pictures and information on Paradise Tanager. [online] Available at: <http://www.nejohnston.org/birds/bird_ParadiseTanager.shtml> [Accessed 15 August 2021].

Aviansag.org. 2021. Species Fact Sheets. [online] Available at: <http://aviansag.org/Fact_Sheets/PACCT/Paradise_Tanager.pdf> [Accessed 16 August 2021].

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