Wickersham's Conscience

If there is a single family of birds that will turn normal folks into birders, it’s the Tanagers. Not the cardinal family species we get in the states, but Thraupidae, the tanagers found in Central and South America. Eye-hurtingly colorful, with dozens of species, only Hummingbirds are  more colorful. And maybe not even hummingbirds. And like hummingbirds, Tanagers are found only in the New World.

Consider the Green and Gold Tanager:

Green and Gold Tanager

WC is the first to admit that Black-capped Chickadees have their charm, but seriously, that is one amazingly colorful bird. In sunlight, a clear view of this species sears your eyeballs.

If you think that the Green and Gold is some kind of aberration, here’s an example of a Paradise Tanager:

Paradise Tanager

It’s just as well the bird is a bit further off or it would do permanent damage to your vision when viewed through binoculars, even on a cloudy day.

And there are at least 240 species in this family. Admittedly, not all are as stunning as these two, but there are at least a hundred that will fill you with delight when you see them.

If anyone asks you why WC is a birder, you can point them to this post as a simple explanation.