Black chested Mountain Tanager

The Black chested Mountain Tanager is a large and rare tanager found in high-altitude montane forests in the Andes, ranging from western Venezuela to northwestern Peru. Its appearance is quite distinctive, with a dark hood consisting of blue on the crown and nape, and black on the throat, complemented by a green back and yellow belly. Its wings also feature a blue shoulder and green edging on the feathers. One could differentiate it from the more common Hooded Mountain-Tanager, which has a blue back and a red eye. This species can be found in pairs or small groups, typically foraging quietly in the lower to middle levels of the forest and edges, often apart from mixed flocks. It inhabits altitudes ranging from 2,800 to 3,700 meters. You can spot them during our bird photography tours in the Chocó Andino in Ecuador.