Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata)

Identification & Behavior: ~18 cm (7 in). The Gray-headed Tanager is yellow-olive above and yellow-orange below. The head is gray with a whitish throat and a gray bushy crest. Both sexes are similar. The head in the immature is concolor with the back. The bill can be black (penicillata) or dusky-gray (albicollis). It forages in the mid-story of varzea and floodplain forests. The adult is similar to a female White-shouldered Tanager. The immature is similar to several female tanagers but the Gray-headed Tanager forages closer to the ground in varzea forest and often near water. Also, see the female Fulvous Shrike-Tanager and White-winged Shrike-Tanager.

Status: The Gray-headed Tanager is uncommon and widespread in Loreto and Ucayali. The sub-species albicollis occurs in Madre de Dios. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tangara de Cabeza Gris.

Sub-species: Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata penicillata), (Spix), 1825. E of Andes from Colombia (Meta and Amazonas) S through E Ecuador to Peru (Ucayali), and E across much of NC Brazil to Atlantic (W Maranhão).
(E. p. albicollis) (d’Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) – E of Andes from Peru (Madre de Dios), N Bolivia (Pando, La Paz and Santa Cruz) E across C Brazil (Mato Grosso E to Minas Gerais and W São Paulo).

Meaning of Name: Eucometis: Gr. Eu= fine, good and Komes= hair, haired. Eukomes lovely-haired. penicillata: L. penis= tail, penicillus= brush, penicillatus= with brush-like tufts.

See more of the Family Thraupidae