Explore the world of the Red-necked Tanager found along the east coast of Brazil, a bird whose beauty fascinates everyone.

Red-necked Tanager Tangara cyanocephala

Brazilian name: saíra-militar

Brazil

The Red-necked Tanager is found along the east coast of Brazil from Ceará to Rio Grande do Sul and into northern Argentina.

Red-necked Tanager - eBird

They are found generally in the Atlantic Rain Forest, on forest borders but in scrub in the north east of Brazil.

It is a very colourful bird with cobalt blue crown and chin, black forehead, red “scarf”, a turquoise line round the eyes and above the forehead, green underparts, black wings with broad green edging and a yellow-orange line on the wing coverts.

Photos 5 to 8 are from the Serra de Baturité, Ceará and are of the sub-species T. c. cearensis. These are slightly smaller than the nominate and note also the turquoise-blue at the rump and base of the tail which is absent in the nominate.

The female in photos 6 and 7 is duller with a mantle streaked black and dull yellow. Photo 8 is of a young bird.

They feed at the top of fruiting trees occasionally dropping down to pick berries of bushes.

There are recordings on xeno-canto, a distribution map from NatureServe and additional information available via Avibase. There is a page in Portuguese on Wikiaves.