The Story
I photographed this Bay-headed Tanager (Tangara gyrola) at Entreaguas Reserva Natural, near Coello in Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia, at about 1,170 meters. Its red head, green back and turquoise belly stand out in the soft, diffused light of the canopy, against dense foliage. The species lives in Costa Rica, Panama and much of northern South America, and on Trinidad. It is a social bird that eats mainly fruit, usually swallowed whole, and its bulky cup nest holds two eggs that the female incubates for 13 to 14 days. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Canon R5 and the RF 800mm f/11, at 1/1000 sec, f/11, ISO 6400, −1 EV. Entreaguas, in the Coello–Cocora area of Ibagué, offers ecological walks and birdwatching tours.
©2024 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Bay-headed Tanager (Tangara gyrola) belongs to the family Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
