Fawn-breasted Tanager (Rauenia melanonota)

Identification & Behavior: ~14 cm (5.5 in). The Fawn-breasted Tanager has bluish upperparts (black mantle in the male) and blue top of the head. The underparts are buffy. It has a black mask through the eye and a red iris. Both sexes are similar but the male has more saturated colors. It forages in a variety of semi-open habitats, forest edges, and scrub. The Fawn-breasted Tanager is similar to the Chestnut-breasted Mountain- Tanager but is distinguished by buffy underparts, no black malar stripe, and by foraging in forest edges and semi-open habitats. Also, see Golden-rumped Euphonia.

Status: The Fawn-breasted Tanager is uncommon to rare in semi-open habitats, scrub, and forest edges on the east and west (South to Lima) slopes of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1000-3000 m. The sightings recorded in Amazonia may belong to Austral migrants. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tangara de Pecho Anteado.

Sub-species: Fawn-breasted Tanager (Rauenia melanonota venezuelensis), (P. L. Sclater), 1857.

Meaning of Name: Rauenia: After ornithologist Rauenia Wolters. melanonota: Gr. melas, melanos= black and notos, noton= back, backed.

See more of the Family Thraupidae