The Story
I photographed this Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana) in the vereda El Pepino, outside Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia. Despite its scientific name, it is not found in Mexico; it lives from Trinidad, Colombia and Venezuela through much of Brazil south to Bolivia. It was once treated as the same species as the White-bellied Tanager of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Its nest is a bulky cup in a tree or shrub, and the female incubates the eggs. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I used a Canon R5 with the RF 800mm f/11 for this one, at 1/1500 sec, f/11, ISO 3200. El Pepino, about 6 kilometers from Mocoa on the road to Villagarzón, is home to the Fin del Mundo waterfall, one of Putumayo’s main natural attractions.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana) 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 decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List