Orange-eared Tanager (Chlorochrysa calliparaea)

Identification & Behavior: ~12 cm (5 in). The male Orange-eared Tanager is emerald green with a dark blue throat (burcieri and calliparea) or blue throat breast and belly (fulgentissima). It has orange patches on the ear areas, lower rump, and a variable amount of orange or yellow on the crown. The female is less saturated green with reduced blue on the throat and orange ear patches. It forages in the canopy and sub-canopy of humid montane forest often in the company of mixed species flocks. The emerald green is unmistakable but see the Grass-Green Tanager.

Status: The Orange-eared Tanager is uncommon in humid montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1000-2200 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tangara de Oreja Naranja.

Sub-species: Orange-eared Tanager (Chlorochrysa calliparaea bourcieri), (Bonaparte), 1851.  S Colombia (W slope of E Andes in Cundinamarca S to head of Magdalena Valley, in Huila; E slope of E Andes S from Caquetá) S to E Ecuador and E slope in N Peru (Huánuco S to Huallaga Valley).
(Chlorochrysa calliparaea calliparaea), (Tschudi), 1844.  E slope of Andes of Peru (Pasco S to N Ayacucho).
(Chlorochrysa calliparaea fulgentissima), Chapman, 1901.   E slope of Andes of S Peru (from Cuzco) S to Bolivia (S to NW Cochabamba).

Meaning of Name: Chlorochrysa: Gr. Khloros= green and khrusos= gold. calliparaea: Gr. Kalos= beautiful and pareia= cheek. Kallipareos= beautiful-cheeked.

See more of the Family Thraupidae