The Beryl-Spangled Tanager Is a Bird With a Stunning Iridescent Turquoise Appearance
The Beryl-spangled Tanager (Tangara nigroviridis) gets its name from its spangled appearance. The vivid blue and green stones are strewn across this bird's entire body, contrasting wonderfully with its black mask and back, giving its plumage a brightly spangled turquoise appearance. In a nutshell, this is a lovely bird.
The Beryl-spangled Tanager is a tiny songbird that measures just 5.1 inches in length and was discovered and described by Frédéric de Lafresnaye in 1843. The female of the species has the same spangled appearance as the male, although the male is much more vibrant.
The Beryl-spangled Tanager can be found in the Andean Cloud Forests of Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru at elevations of 4,900 to 9,500 feet in the tropical zones of those regions. This bird, which inhabits humid forests, feeds on fruit and nectar and spreads seeds wherever it goes, promoting the creation of new forests.
Around March, the female of this species constructs a mossy nest in the fork of her preferred tree, where she lays 2 to 5 eggs. She incubates them for 13 to 15 days.
In 14 to 20 days, the chicks will be fully grown. The actual number of birds is unknown, although it is estimated that there are around 10,000 individuals in a stable, non-fragmented population.
The Beryl-Spangled Tanager (Tangara nigroviridis) Gets Its Name from Its Spangled Appearance
The female of the species has the same spangled appearance as the male, although the male is much more vibrant.
This is a tiny songbird measuring only 5.1 inches in length
It can be found in tropical areas of Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru at elevations of 4,900 to 9,500 feet
The female lays 2 to 5 eggs. She incubates them for 13 to 15 days.
The Beryl-spangled Tanager is a member of the Tanager family, which contains around 240 species of mostly brightly colored fruit-eating birds.
Tanagers are small to medium-sized birds. The shortest-bodied species, the white-eared conebill, measures 4 inches long and weighs 0.2 oz, barely smaller than the short-billed honeycreeper.
The longest, the magpie tanager, is 11 inches long and weighs 2.7 oz. The heaviest is the white-capped tanager, which weighs 4.02 oz and measures about 9.4 inches.
Both sexes are usually the same size and weight. Tanagers are often brightly colored, although some species are black and white.
Males are typically more brightly colored than females and juveniles. Most tanagers have short, rounded wings.
The shape of the bill appears to be linked to the species' foraging habits.
It Feeds on Fruit and Nectar.
Watch It on Video Here:
Besides being beautiful, these birds are very important to the ecosystem. They are vital seed dispersers, which helps foster the growth of new forests.
They also serve as food for larger predators. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.
The Beryl-spangled Tanager has a very wide range and a stable population, so it is not classified as an endangered species. It is evaluated as Least Concern.
So, if you are planning a trip to Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, or Brazil, be sure to add seeing these birds to your “must-do” list.
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