Azure-rumped Tanager

The Azure-rumped Tanager, also known as Cabanis's Tanager (Poecilostreptus cabanisi), presents a striking pale blue plumage. Its crown is a purplish-blue, and it features distinctive dark spots across its chest. The lores and lower auriculars are dark, while the mantle is a mottled greenish-blue and black. The wings and tail are black with blue edgings, and the bill is gray with a dark tip.

Identification Tips

When identifying this species, look for the unique combination of pale blue plumage with a purplish-blue crown and dark chest spots. The mottled greenish-blue and black mantle, along with the blue-edged black wings and tail, are also key characteristics.

Habitat

The Azure-rumped Tanager is a local resident in humid broadleaf forests and adjacent plantations, favoring the lush Pacific slope of western Guatemala and southern Chiapas, Mexico.

Distribution

This species is found at elevations ranging from 850 to 1,900 meters (2,790 to 6,230 feet) within its limited range in Guatemala and Chiapas.

Behaviour

Azure-rumped Tanagers are known to move in pairs or family groups during the nesting season, which spans from April to September. Cooperative breeding has been observed. Outside of breeding times, they may form larger flocks of up to 18 individuals.

Song & Calls

The vocal repertoire of the Azure-rumped Tanager includes several sibilant vocalizations, hard trills, and twitters, adding a symphony to their habitat.

Breeding

The nesting season for these tanagers occurs from April to September. Cooperative breeding behavior has been noted, with pairs or family groups staying together.

Similar Species

The closest relative of the Azure-rumped Tanager is the similarly patterned Grey-and-gold Tanager, which can be differentiated by its coloration and distribution.

Diet and Feeding

Omnivorous in nature, the Azure-rumped Tanager feeds on both fruit and arthropods. In Guatemala, the species shows a particular fondness for the figs of Ficus aurea trees, which constitute a main food source.

Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Azure-rumped Tanager as Vulnerable. Deforestation, particularly for coffee plantations, poses a significant threat. In Guatemala, a mere 21% of the potential distribution area retains the broadleaf forest that is crucial for the species' survival. It is estimated that between 8,250 and 23,250 individuals remain in Guatemala. The situation in Chiapas is less clear, but habitat loss due to human population growth and agricultural expansion is a concern.