- Ramphocelus nigrogularis
Identification
18 - 19 cm (7-7½ in)
Red plumage on head and most underparts, black mask from forehead and throat to behind eyes; black above with red lower back. Belly black. Sexes alike.
Distribution
Endemic to lowlands of western Amazonia in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species1.
Habitat
Low thick forests; flooded forest edges and along streams. Stays close to water.
Behaviour
Breeding
Female builds a nest consisting of a bulky cup of dead leaves wrapped sparsely around adjacent stems and lays a clutch of 2-3 pale blue eggs with brown spots. Typically has more than two adult helpers at the nest.
Diet
Diet includes fruits, leaves, buds and nectar. It is an important pollinator of the Purple Coral-tree (Erythrina fusca).
Vocalisations
Dawn song a cheerful, semi-musical wheet chu, wheet, chu... or chuck wheet? chuck wheet? During the day, sings a different song of rich and gradual phrases such as wheeet, chu-chu wheeet wheeet, chu-chu wier wheeet. Both songs moderate to low pitched. Typical call-note is a high metallic tchi or tsit.
Movements
Resident
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Hilty, S. (2019). Masked Crimson Tanager (Ramphocelus nigrogularis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/61625 on 4 July 2019).
- Masked Crimson Tanager (Ramphocelus nigrogularis), In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. retrieved from Neotropical Birds Online: https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/mactan1
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Masked Crimson Tanager. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Masked_Crimson_Tanager
