The Story
The place
Caracolí Bird House, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia. I photographed this Silver-beaked Tanager here on September 15, 2025, at about 6:59 a.m.
eBird lists 94 species all-time at Caracolí Bird House (as of October 2026).
The shot
At Caracolí Bird House in Colombia’s Meta region, this Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo) — a female or juvenile — paused on a lichen-covered branch with a small piece of fruit held in its bill. The warm chestnut-brown plumage and darker head create a subtle, understated look that differs sharply from the brilliant crimson of adult males. Soft green background light and the textured branch frame the bird in a quiet natural setting. I used the Canon EOS R5 with the RF800mm F11 IS STM and Extender RF1.4x, at 1120 mm, 1/45 s, f/16, ISO 1600, +1/2 EV.
The bird
The Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo) 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 2024), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List