A Shinning Silver Headed Sets This Ant Loving Bird Apart From His Other Compatriots!

The uncommon small bird that inhabits low-elevation humid tropical forests, occasionally frequenting ant swarms for foraging opportunities.

Meet the Gray-headed tanager:

Description: The Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata) presents a striking appearance with its slate gray head and neck, complemented by olive green upper regions and a deep yellow underbelly. Its throat boasts a paler gray hue, while the breast and sides exhibit an ochraceous tint with olive flanks. Occasionally, a slight olive stripe adorns its chest and sides. Measuring 16 cm in length and weighing 31 grams, this tanager features a long tail, a small head adorned with a short, fluffy crest, reddish-brown iris, blackish beak, and flesh-colored legs.

Size: Measuring between 15 to 17 cm in length and weighing approximately 22 to 35 g, these birds possess a moderate size.

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Juvenile individuals showcase an olive green head and throat, along with olive underparts and a tawny orange breast marked by a thick olive stripe.

Range: The grey-headed tanager inhabits a vast territory stretching from southern Mexico to Bolivia and central Brazil, reaching as far south as Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso do Sul. Notably, they are exclusively found to the east of the Andes mountain chain.

Habitat: They demonstrate adaptability to various environments, thriving in both moist and dry tropical forests, swamp forests, mangroves, scrublands, pastures, and arable land. Their presence spans from sea level up to altitudes of 1,700 m.

Diet: Grey-headed tanagers maintain a diverse diet, consuming arthropods such as flies, spiders, roaches, caterpillars, crickets, bugs, moths, centipedes, winged ants, and small beetles. They also feed on fruits, including Miconia berries, seeds, and bananas.

Breeding: With a breeding season that can occur throughout the year, timing varies across different regions of their range. Their nest, a small and thin cup constructed from small twigs, plant fibres, rootlets, and fungal hyphae, is typically situated in a tree or scrub fork, up to 3 m above the ground amidst thick undergrowth. Female grey-headed tanagers lay 1-3 pale blue-grey eggs, adorned with heavy brown and black markings, and incubate them alone for 14-16 days. Both parents participate in feeding the chicks, which fledge after 11-12 days. However, they may continue to stay with their parents for several months post-fledging.

Conservation: Currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, the grey-headed tanager enjoys a broad breeding range and boasts a global population estimated between 0.5 to 5 million individuals. No significant evidence suggests population declines or substantial threats, indicating stability in their numbers.

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A Bird Wearing A Highly Luminous Goatee, Moustache, And Matching Eyebrows Shining Forth From A Colorfully Clad Hooded Bird!

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