The Beryl-spangled Tanager (*Tangara nigroviridis*) is a dazzling jewel of the Andean cloud forests, renowned for its intricate, iridescent plumage. Its name derives from the shimmering, beryl-green spangles that adorn its jet-black body, creating a striking contrast with a vivid turquoise crown and a bright yellow rump and belly. A special feature is its subtle, scale-like feather texture on the breast, which reflects light in a way that makes the bird appear to sparkle as it moves through the canopy. This highly social species often joins mixed-species flocks, foraging for fruit and insects, and its rapid, high-pitched calls add a lively chorus to its misty mountain habitat.

Faits amusants

Despite its jewel-like plumage, the Beryl-spangled Tanager has a surprisingly aggressive streak, often seen chasing much larger birds away from fruit trees with furious, high-pitched chattering. It also has a peculiar habit of gleaning insects by hanging upside-down from thin branches, a technique more common in nuthatches. Oddly for a tropical bird, it frequently bathes by rubbing its body against wet leaves rather than hopping into standing water.

Habitats et répartition

This tanager primarily inhabits humid montane forests and cloud forests, typically at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. It is most often found in the canopy and along forest edges, showing a preference for mossy, epiphyte-laden trees. Its geographical range extends along the eastern slope of the Andes from northern Colombia and Venezuela, through Ecuador and Peru, to central Bolivia. Local populations also occur in the coastal mountains of northern Venezuela, but the species is absent from the Amazonian lowlands.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Beryl-spangled Tanager is a highly social and typically monogamous species, often observed in small, loose flocks or mixed-species foraging parties outside the breeding season. During courtship, the male performs a subdued display, often perching near the female and flicking his wings to reveal the brilliant, iridescent beryl-green spangles on his underparts, while emitting soft, high-pitched calls. Pairs form strong bonds and defend small nesting territories, usually in the canopy of humid montane forests. Nesting is a cooperative effort: the female builds a cup-shaped nest of moss and plant fibers, well-hidden in a fork of branches, while the male guards the area and assists with feeding. Clutch size is typically two eggs, which are pale with brown speckles. The female incubates alone for about 13–14 days, but both parents share feeding duties for the altricial chicks, which fledge after 15–18 days. A unique strategy is their reliance on dense, epiphyte-laden trees for concealment, reducing predation risk, and they may occasionally engage in cooperative breeding, with non-breeding helpers from previous broods assisting in chick rearing.

Alimentation

The Beryl-spangled Tanager is primarily frugivorous, with a diet dominated by small, soft fruits and berries plucked directly from trees and shrubs in the canopy and understory of its Andean cloud forest habitat. It frequently forages in mixed-species flocks, often alongside other tanagers and warblers, to locate fruiting plants. An interesting fact about its diet is that it also consumes a significant amount of arthropods, particularly small insects and spiders, which it gleans from leaves and branches, especially during the breeding season to provide protein for its chicks. Additionally, these tanagers are known to visit fruiting trees that produce small, lipid-rich fruits like those of the Melastomataceae family, and they will occasionally sip nectar from flowers, making them opportunistic omnivores that supplement their fruit-based diet with animal protein and sugars.

Couleurs

The Beryl-spangled Tanager has a striking black body with vivid beryl-green, teardrop-shaped spangles or spots densely covering its back, wings, and flanks, creating a glittering scaled effect. Its underparts are a paler, duller green, and it lacks any specific camouflage adaptations, instead relying on its bright, iridescent pattern for social signaling in the canopy.