Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Paradise Tanager

Tangara chilensis (Vigors, 1832)

15 cmLength20 gWeight

The paradise tanager (Tangara chilensis) is a brilliantly multicolored, medium-sized songbird whose length varies between 13.5 and 15 cm (5.3 to 6").

Busiest months: July and October · Most records: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Paradise Tanager has been recorded at 120 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. WildSumaco LodgeEcuador2,168 records
  2. Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge & Manu Paradise LodgePeru1,469 records
  3. Reserva Natural La Isla EscondidaColombia1,099 records
More places
  1. PN Podocarpus – Sector Río BombuscaroEcuador827 records
  2. Copalinga LodgeEcuador811 records
  3. Los Amigos Biological StationPeru728 records
  4. Wayra ReserveEcuador710 records
  5. Sumaco RoadEcuador684 records
  6. Waqanki/Quebrada MishquiyaquilloPeru557 records
  7. Reserva Arena BlancaPeru413 records

Countries and regions with the most records

PeruEcuadorColombiaBrazilBoliviaVenezuelaGuyanaFrench Guiana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

It has a light green head, sky blue underparts and black upper body plumage.The vivid colours of the paradise tanager have been linked to underlying achromatic feather layers (black or white) that enhance the brilliance of structural colours. Depending on subspecies, the behind is yellow and red or all red. The beak is black and the legs are grey.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Paradise Tanager?

The Paradise Tanager is about 15 cm long and weighs around 20 g.

Where does the Paradise Tanager live?

Its breeding range: South America: Amazonia. It is most often recorded in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Paradise Tanager?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Paradise Tanager endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Paradise Tanager as Least Concern.

What does the Paradise Tanager eat?

Main food: Fruit.

What family is the Paradise Tanager in?

It belongs to the family Tanagers & Allies (Thraupidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
15 cm
Weight
20 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Fruit
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
77 mm
Tail
56 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: Amazonia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Tanagers & Allies Thraupidae
Genus
Tangara

Other birds in the genus Tangara

Blue-and-black TanagerBlue-and-black TanagerTangara vassoriiBeryl-spangled TanagerBeryl-spangled TanagerTangara nigroviridisSpangle-cheeked TanagerSpangle-cheeked TanagerTangara dowiiGreen-naped TanagerGreen-naped TanagerTangara fucosaBlue-browed TanagerBlue-browed TanagerTangara cyanotisRufous-cheeked TanagerRufous-cheeked TanagerTangara rufigenisMetallic-green TanagerMetallic-green TanagerTangara labradoridesBay-headed TanagerBay-headed TanagerTangara gyrolaRufous-winged TanagerRufous-winged TanagerTangara laviniaGolden-eared TanagerGolden-eared TanagerTangara chrysotisSaffron-crowned TanagerSaffron-crowned TanagerTangara xanthocephalaFlame-faced TanagerFlame-faced TanagerTangara parzudakii
Paradise Tanager

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Phil Kahler. ↗

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