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Chlorothraupis
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Lemon-spectacled Tanager Chlorothraupis olivacea Scientific name definitions

Steven Hilty
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2011

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

Lemon-spectacled Tanager is fairly common in the lowlands and lower foothills of the western Andes in Ecuador and Colombia. They inhabit humid forest, including forest interior, borders, and second-growth woodland. They forage as small groups in the understory, often as part of mixed flocks. This species is fairly dull overall, but note the prominent yellow eye ring and lores forming a spectacled appearance. Otherwise, they are olive green throughout with a yellow throat and heavy black bill. Both sexes are similar though males are slightly darker overall. Feeding birds are quite vocal, giving a constant squeaky chatter.

Field Identification

17 cm; 36–41 g. Robust species with conspicuous “spectacles” and strong, heavy bill, but dingy plumage. Male is uniformly dark olive above, including head, upperwing and tail; lores and prominent, contrasting eyering bright yellow; chin and throat dull yellow, vaguely streaked along lower border; underparts dark olive, becoming yellowish on belly and undertail-coverts; iris reddish-brown; upper mandible blackish with pale line along cutting edge, lower mandible light blue-grey; legs grey. Female is essentially similar to male, but slightly paler and more yellowish on lower underparts. Juvenile is similar to adult, but lacks “spectacles”; thus looks much like H. stolzmanni, but not so ochraceous below.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Pacific slope in extreme E Panama (SE Darién S & E of R Chepo and R Chucunaque) and W Colombia (E along N base of Andes to Magdalena Valley in Antioquia, and in Pacific lowlands) S to NW Ecuador (N Esmeraldas).

Habitat

Lower levels of wet lowland and foothill forest and adjacent second growth, especially along streams. Sea-level to c. 400 m in Ecuador; to 1500 m (although rarely above c. 400 m) in Colombia.

Movement

Resident.

Diet and Foraging

Two stomachs contained animal matter, another had both animal and plant material; contents included parts of ants (Formicidae), coleopterans including weevils (Curculionidae) and scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), caterpillars, wasps (Vespidae), and seeds of Solanum. Occurs in pairs and in small groups of three or four individuals, often joining or joined by mixed-species flocks. Groups stay mainly in undergrowth, mostly out of sight, and, except for chattering calls, are easily overlooked.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song, mainly at dawn, a long, rapid series of notes that begins softly, then rapidly becomes much louder, e.g. “wu-wu-wu-wu-chu-chu-chu-chéé-chéé-chéé-chéé”. Often noisy when foraging, uttering rapid, excited “treu-treu-treu-treu...” of 4–8 notes; also “turee” and “jee-ut”, and “eep”, and other notes and more nasal “nyaah-nyaah-nyaah-nyaah-nyaah”.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Uncommon to locally fairly common in Colombia; decidedly less numerous at S end of range in extreme NW Ecuador. Occurs in a few protected areas, including Darién National Park (Panama) and Los Katíos, Ensenada de Utría and possibly Sanquianga National Parks (Colombia), but most of range lies outside protected areas. Extensive and ongoing deforestation in much of its range is a longer-term risk, and habitat loss is fragmenting its range, resulting in overall decline in numbers. On the positive side, the species utilizes a variety of shrubby forest-edge and second-growth habitats and does not appear to be at any immediate risk in Colombia. Relatively little suitable habitat remains within its range in W Ecuador.
Distribution of the Lemon-spectacled Tanager - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Lemon-spectacled Tanager

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Hilty, S. (2020). Lemon-spectacled Tanager (Chlorothraupis olivacea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lestan.01
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