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Masked Crimson Tanager Ramphocelus nigrogularis 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

Immediately identifiable by its stunningly red and black plumage, the Masked Crimson Tanager is endemic to upper Amazonia and is rarely found far from water, e.g. in várzea forest or oxbow lakes. It is usually found in groups, which generally keep reasonably low in the vegetation, and the species as a whole ranges from southeast Colombia south to northernmost Bolivia, and east into central Amazonian Brazil. Another species of Ramphocelus, the much more widespread and darker red Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo) sometimes forms mixed-species flocks with the Masked Crimson Tanager, but more frequently members of the present species forages apart from other birds.

Field Identification

17 cm; 27–36 g. Distinctive red-and-black tanager with stout bill, lower mandible somewhat expanded at base. Has base of forehead, area around eye and upper throat black (forming mask), rest of head, nape, side of neck, and lower throat and most of underparts glistening red; back, rump and shortest uppertail-coverts glistening red, rest of upperparts, including entire wing and tail, jet-black; large black patch on centre of lower breast and belly; thigh black, and variable amount of black mixed with red on rear flanks and undertail-coverts; iris reddish-brown; upper mandible is black, lower mandible gleaming white with black tip; legs dark horn-grey. Sexes similar, female sometimes very slightly duller than male. Immature has plumage pattern similar to that of adult, but is much duller, dull brick-red and dusky.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

C, E & S Colombia (San José del Guaviare; Inírida region of Guainía (1); E of Andes S from Meta and Amazonas) S to E Ecuador and E Peru (S to Madre de Dios), and E, mostly S of R Amazon, to NC Brazil (to lower R Xingu, in E Pará).

Habitat

Shrubby várzea forest borders, second growth and vegetation along margins of oxbow lakes and rivers, bushy clearings and sometimes short distances into humid forest where light-gaps or old overgrowth clearings present; seldom far from watercourses, but usually not in early successional vegetation. Lowlands to c. 600 m, rarely to 1100 m in Peru.

Movement

Apparently resident.

Diet and Foraging

Prey items in SE Peru included spiders (Araneae), caterpillars, katydids (Tettigoniidae), and various unidentified items; in Brazil, reported as eating guavas (Psidium), custard apples (probably Annona species), and fruits of Passifloraceae. Contents of three stomachs were vegetable matter, including fruit pulp, berry pits and seeds. Typically troops around in noisy groups of 3–8 individuals, occasionally more, and only infrequently in pairs, larger groups sometimes assembling in dense bushes and cane brakes to roost; groups usually composed of 2–4 adults and variable number of young or first-year birds. Groups may associate with mixed-species flocks or other tanagers such as R. carbo, but more often forage independently of them. Forages at various heights, mostly about eye level to middle levels, occasionally to 25 m or higher. Hops and flies short distances as it gleans or pecks arthropods, mostly from foliage; takes prey items from both surfaces of foliage, and may reach out or cling to leaves to seize items.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Dawn song a cheerful, semi-musical “wheet chu, wheet, chu...” or “chuck wheet? chuck wheet?...” monotonously repeated with rising and then falling (or vice versa). Day songs similar but somewhat more varied, a rich slow series, “wheet, chu-chu wheeet wheet, chu-chu wier wheeet...” and so on. Often noisy, groups giving sharp, metallic “tchi” and “tsit” notes; probably in alarm “whi-it” and “wheeeeet” and other notes.

Breeding

Two nests found, in Jul in E Ecuador and Aug in SE Peru. Nest a bulky cup of dead dicot leaves wrapped around adjacent stems, sparsely lined with brown, thin, flexible fibres, outside diameter c. 9 cm and height 8 cm, inner cup 6·5 cm wide and 5 cm deep, suspended between numerous stiff vertical stems of grass and sedges (Cyperaceae) or in clump of regrowth branches covered with epiphytes; Ecuador nest was c. 0·2 m above ground and 0·3 m from a lake edge, the Peruvian nest more than 100 m from nearest permanent body of water but in low-lying area subject to seasonal flooding. Clutch 2 eggs, bluish with sparse, heavy black splotches overlying denser, much paler lavender flecking, measurements 22 × 17·9 mm and 22·2 × 17·6 mm. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Locally common, and widespread across W & C Amazonia. Occurs in numerous lowland national parks and eco-lodge reserves, including Yasuní National Park and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (Ecuador), Manu Biosphere Reserve (Peru) and Amazonica and Serra do Divisor National Parks (Brazil). Range also encompasses vast areas of intact habitat that is not formally protected and is at extremely low risk. This species is adapted to a variety of streamside, river-edge and floodplain-edge habitats that buffer it from potential threats.
Distribution of the Masked Crimson Tanager - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Masked Crimson Tanager

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Hilty, S. (2020). Masked Crimson Tanager (Ramphocelus nigrogularis), 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.mactan1.01
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