Crimson-backed Tanager
Ramphocelus dimidiatus
The male features a striking 'silver beak'—a swollen, bright white lower mandible used in courtship displays.
- Scientific name
- Ramphocelus dimidiatus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Thraupidae › Ramphocelus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Humid lowland forests, secondary growth, and tropical gardens.
- Diet
- Omnivorous; primarily small fruits, berries, and various insects.
- Range
- Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana
- Size
- 18 cm in length; weight approximately 28-32 grams.
- Lifespan
- 5-8 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation and urbanization, though they adapt well to forest edges.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These birds are best observed with binoculars from a distance of 5-10 meters. They pose no threat to humans; enjoy their vibrant colors and avoid disturbing their nesting sites.
The crimson-backed tanager ( Ramphocelus dimidiatus ) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela, and introduced to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. A nickname in Panama is sangre de toro ("Blood of the bull").
Photo: Daniel S. Katz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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