Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Dusky-faced Tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii)
Dusky-faced Tanager

Dusky-faced Tanager

Mitrospingus cassinii

The dusky-faced tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii) is a modestly adorned bird, with adults measuring between 18 to 18.5 cm in length and weighing between 32 to 39 grams. They boast a mustard yellow crown and nape, while their face is adorned with a prominent black mask. Their plumage is a lead gray on the upper parts, transitioning to a light gray throat, olive yellow breast and flanks, and a gray-olive-yellow blend on the belly. The juveniles share a similar appearance but have less yellow on the crown and a buffy tinge to their underparts.

Identification Tips

To identify the dusky-faced tanager, look for the distinctive mustard yellow crown and nape, as well as the large black mask on the face. The lead gray upper parts and the gradient of colors from the throat to the belly are also key characteristics. The juveniles may be identified by their less vibrant crown and the buffy tinge on their underparts.

Habitat

This species thrives in low dense shrubbery, thickets, and areas of secondary growth. It is commonly found along forest edges, gaps within forests, and near forest streams and swampy areas.

Distribution

The dusky-faced tanager can be found across a range of countries in Central and South America. The subspecies M. c. costaricensis inhabits the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica's Heredia Province to northwestern Panama. The nominate subspecies is distributed from western Panama through western Colombia to Guayas Province in Ecuador, and also on the east slope of Colombia's Central Andes.

Behaviour

The dusky-faced tanager primarily consumes fruits, but its diet also includes insects and seeds. It is a sociable bird, often seen chattering throughout the day.

Song & Calls

The dawn song of the dusky-faced tanager is a repetitive "seety, seety, seety, seety, seety." During the day, they communicate with sputtering notes such as "chet" or "chet-ut."

Breeding

While the breeding habits of the dusky-faced tanager have not been extensively studied, breeding or breeding-condition birds have been observed between March and May in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Their nests are cup-shaped and suspended in shrubs, with a typical clutch size of two eggs. Nestlings have been seen attended by at least three adults.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the dusky-faced tanager as Least Concern. It has a broad range and appears to have a stable population, with occurrences in several protected areas.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Dusky-faced Tanagers on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Diego Ramírez-Calvo
Diego Ramírez-Calvo
11 Jul 2024 - 12:02pm
Costa Rica

More Mitrospingid Tanagers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.