<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='359507'>Brazilian Tanager

Open Bird Bucket List ↗

En bref

Endémique
  • Scientific Name: Ramphocelus bresilius
  • Spanish Name: Tangara brasileño
  • Famille : Thraupidae
  • Known Nicknames: Brazilian Tanager, Scarlet Tanager (misleading), Tiê-sangue
  • Average Length: 18 cm / 7.1 in
  • Average Weight: 30–40 g / 1.1–1.4 oz
  • Wingspan: 25–30 cm / 9.8–11.8 in
  • Key Feature: Striking crimson red plumage with black wings and tail; male is brilliant red, female is duller brownish-red
  • Primary Diet: Primarily Frugivore (also insects and nectar)
  • Range: Eastern Brazil (from Paraíba to Santa Catarina, and inland to Minas Gerais)
  • Habitat: Coastal Atlantic Forest, restinga, mangroves, and forest edges
  • Social Structure: Social (often in pairs or small flocks, sometimes mixed-species)
  • Nesting/Breeding: Open cup nest built in tree fork or shrub
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Brazilian Tanager (*Ramphocelus bresilius*) is a dazzling bird endemic to coastal Brazil, most famously recognized for the male’s spectacular breeding plumage: a vivid, almost iridescent crimson red that covers the head, chest, and back, contrasting sharply with jet-black wings, tail, and a striking silver-white lower mandible. Females and juveniles are more subdued, with warm brownish-olive upperparts and a paler, cinnamon-toned underbelly, though they retain the distinctive pale lower beak. A unique characteristic of this species is the male's specialized “metallic” bill, which appears to glow with a bluish-silver sheen in sunlight, likely used in social displays. Beyond its beauty, the tanager is an active and social forager, often seen in noisy flocks, and plays a vital role in seed dispersal within its threatened Atlantic Forest habitat, making it both a visual treasure and an ecological keystone.

Faits amusants

Males undergo a dramatic, almost goth-like molt each year, replacing their brilliant red body feathers with a dull, brownish-black eclipse plumage right after breeding, making them look like a completely different species. They are notorious for their “wing-flicking” display, a rapid, jerky motion used during aggressive encounters that makes them look like a tiny, angry disco dancer. Their nest is a surprisingly flimsy, shallow cup built almost exclusively by the female, who often weaves in spider silk to bind it together, giving it a stretchy, unconventional structure. Unlike many tropical birds, both parents share the duty of feeding the young, but the male’s contribution is often more erratic, as he may abandon the first brood to start courting a new mate while the female finishes raising the chicks.

Habitats et répartition

Endemic to eastern Brazil, the Brazilian Tanager occupies a narrow strip of coastal lowlands and foothills primarily within the Atlantic Forest biome. Its habitat spans humid, dense forests, forest edges, and secondary growth, with a strong preference for areas near watercourses such as rivers and mangroves. It is also commonly found in restinga (coastal sand-dune forests) and occasionally in plantations or gardens adjacent to forest patches. The species’ geographical range extends from the state of Paraíba in the northeast southward to Santa Catarina, with isolated populations recorded in inland regions of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. While historically widespread, its distribution is now increasingly fragmented due to deforestation and urbanization, though it remains locally common in protected reserves.

Comportements & Reproduction

The Brazilian Tanager exhibits a monogamous mating system, typically forming stable pairs during the breeding season from September to January. Socially, males are highly territorial and defend small areas with persistent singing and aggressive chases, while females select mates based on the quality of the male's territory and display intensity. Courtship involves the male offering food items, such as fruits or insects, to the female in a ritualized feeding gesture. The female builds a cup-shaped nest alone, often in dense foliage, and lays two to three pale blue eggs with brown speckles. A unique strategy is the male’s active role in feeding the incubating female and later provisioning the nestlings, which increases fledging success. Both parents aggressively mob potential predators, and the pair may raise two broods per season, reusing or rebuilding nearby nests.

Alimentation

The Brazilian Tanager is primarily frugivorous, with fruits making up the vast majority of its diet, particularly favoring small, soft berries from native trees and shrubs like those of the *Miconia* and *Cecropia* genera. However, it is not strictly a fruit-eater; it also actively supplements its nutrition with insects, spiders, and other small arthropods, especially during the breeding season to provide protein for its chicks. An interesting fact about its feeding behavior is that it often joins mixed-species foraging flocks, allowing it to exploit a wider range of food sources while benefiting from the vigilance of other birds against predators. Additionally, its strong, conical beak is perfectly adapted for crushing seeds, enabling it to consume the hard pits of certain fruits that other birds cannot handle, which makes it an important seed disperser in its Atlantic Forest habitat.

Couleurs

The male Brazilian Tanager is striking with glossy black wings, tail, and bill, contrasting against a vivid crimson-red body, head, and upper breast, while the female is a dull olive-brown above and paler brownish below with faint streaking, lacking any camouflage adaptations.

Distribution Map

Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.

Use the map filter to show only featured places.

Featured places