A Vivid Contrast of Colors: Exploring the Rufous-throated Tanager’s Striking Plumage

A bird with a finely flecked but relatively plain chest and belly fades into the background due to its delightfully fiery throat and back.

The Rufous-throated Tanager (Ixothraupis rufigula) displays a neat rufous throat patch that contrasts with its black head, black-spotted mantle, and pale underparts, giving the bird a scaled or spangled appearance.

This bird has an orange-rufous nape and throat patch that extends to the sides of its head, below the eyes. Its head and crown are black, including the area around the eyes. The beak, legs, and feet are black, and it has a short, somewhat dark tail. The flecks on its chest and belly appear spangled due to the black spots in that area. The bill, feet, and legs are also black.

Both males and females have a similar appearance.

The Rufous-throated Tanager is a social bird and is often found in pairs and mixed flocks.

This bird is endemic to Colombia and Ecuador.

It prefers to inhabit subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded formerly forested areas.

When searching for food, this bird tends to stay close to the ground, hunting for insects and small fruits.

Little is known about the breeding habits of the Rufous-throated Tanager, although nesting activity has been observed from August to January. Nests have been found in August and September, and both individual birds and pairs have been seen carrying nest materials.

Despite being rare for a tanager, this bird is classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN Red List.