Return of Bird of the Week: Red-necked Tanager

Red-necked Tanager, Trilha dos Tucanos, SE Brazil

If WC were forced to choose a favorite bird species from last year’s trip to Southeast Brazil, it would probably be this species, the Red-necked Tanager. Even for the famously colorful tanager family, this species is simply a stunner. Uniquely among all the dozens of tanager species WC has been lucky enough to photograph, a print of this species hangs in WC’s house.

This is a near-endemic species to Brazil, with a few birds found in Paraguay and Northern Argentina. Unlike some of its Atlantic Forest cousins, the range extends up into the northeastern coastal region. Within that range, this is primarily a canopy species, although, fortunately for birders and bird photographers, it will descend to the understory for fruit and insects.

Probable female Red-necked Tanager, Trilha dos Tucanos, SE Brazil

The female has the same coloration as the male, but slightly muted. In practice, it’s pretty difficult to tell the sexes apart in the field.

The Red-necked Tanager eats fruits and insects. It can be attracted to fruit feeders, but can be maddeningly inconsistent in visiting. It tends to forage in flocks, including mixed species flocks.

Almost nothing is known about this species. Despite being a colorful, charismatic bird, there have been no published studies on breeding, survival, life span, populations or geography. There re three recognized subspecies; the ones in these photos are the nominal subspecies, Tangara cyanocephala cyanocephala.

Red-necked Tanager, Itatiaia National Park, SE Brazil

IUCN classifies this as a species of Least Concern, but many ornithologists, noting the destruction of some 92% of the species’ habitat, are less sanguine. You can add WC to that group.

For more bird photographs, please visit WC’s bird photo site, Frozen Feather Images.