Blue-backed Mountain Tanager

Blue-backed Mountain Tanager

We are delighted that Jasmin and James Thomas have taken over the sponsorship of the mountain tanager! Thank you very much.

With a body length of 21 cm, the blue-backed mountain tanager(Buthraupis montana) is one of the largest members of the tanager family, which includes around 280 species and is the second largest family of birds. It is only found in the north-west of South America, in a narrow strip along the Andes.

The blue-backed mountain tanager has a black head, a yellow underside, a blue upper side and bright red eyes, which give it a characteristic appearance. The beak is short and strong.

The birds mainly live in damp mountain forests at an altitude of between 1800 m and 3500 m above sea level. Sometimes there are also open forest areas with scattered standing trees. This tanager spends most of its time in the crowns and tops of trees. Here it feeds mainly on arthropods such as insects, spiders and millipedes as well as various parts of plants. These include berries, fruits, seeds and leaves. When foraging, several birds of this species often form loose groups of around 10 individuals to search for suitable food together. Unfortunately, little is known about the breeding behaviour and rearing of young.

Due to the fact that the blue-backed mountain tanager occurs in many protected areas and lives relatively far from dense human civilisation in the Andes, its population is not currently classified as endangered. However, the ongoing destruction of the forest is leading to an increasing fragmentation of the individual populations, which could jeopardise their survival in the future.