Masked Mountain-Tanager (Tephrophilus wetmorei)

Identification & Behavior: ~21 cm (8.2 in). The Masked Mountain-Tanager has an olive mantle and black wings with blue wing bars.  It has a black mask bordered above by bright yellow. The underparts are mostly yellow. The Masked Mountain-Tanager forages in humid elfin forests, humid montane scrub in pairs or along with mixed species flocks. It is similar to the Black-chested Mountain-Tanager but is distinguished by a black mask bordered by yellow.

Status: The Masked Mountain-Tanager is rare in the humid habitats in extreme northeast Peru in Piura and Cajamarca where it ranges at elevations of about 2500-3200 m. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Tangara-de-Montaña Enmascarada.

Sub-species: Masked Mountain-Tanager (Tephrophilus wetmorei), (R. T. Moore), 1934

Meaning of Name: Tephrophilus: Gr. Tephra= ashes; philos= lover. wetmorei: In honor of Dr. Frank Alexander Wetmore (1886-1978) US ornithologist.

Formerly known as Buthraupis wetmorei (2018).

See more of the Family Thraupidae