A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird

A small, equally stunning bird that can only be found in the Amazon.

Paradise Tanager

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“Paradise Tanager {Tangara chilensis}” by Drew Avery is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The paradise tanager (Tangara chilensis) is a brilliantly colored songbird measuring 13.5 to 15 cm in length. The sides of each face are green with violet-blue running across the face before fading to a lighter blue on the belly. Upperparts are black, as are the legs and feet. The rump is red.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“IMG_2574” by gary_leavens is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Female birds look practically identical to the male.

In fact, in most cases, it would take DNA testing to tell them apart.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
thibaudaronson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 .

They are endemic to, and can be found in Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; French Guiana; Guyana; Peru; Suriname, and Venezuela.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
Abby Darrah is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Within the countries, they are found in they like to live in wooded areas in lowland locations.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“File:Paradise tanager at California Academy of Sciences.JPG” by Toby Hudson is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

These birds are often found in the canopy hunting for insects, fruit, berries, and nectar.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“File:Paradise Tanager – Manu NP – Perù 7844 (23224160816).jpg” by Francesco Veronesi from Italy is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

During the breeding season, these birds build a nest made from vegetation within which are laid two eggs. These eggs are white with purple-red flecks and are incubated for around 16 days with the chicks being fledged about 12 to 14 days after they hatch.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“File:Paradise Tanager Woodland Parks Zoo RWD2.jpg” by DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Though these birds are considered common throughout their range their population is decreasing.

A Stunning Display of Colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Black on a Small Bird
“calliste septicolore, paradise tanager, sete-cores-da-amazônia, tangara del paraíso” by thibaudaronson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.