Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata)

OTHER NAMES: Stripe-backed Tanager 
Latin Etymology:  Piranga (from Tupi name for an unknown bird) bidentata ("two toothed")

Female Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Piranga bidentata citrea
Weight: g/kg  /  Length: 18-19cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A vividly coloured tanager of the upland Neotropics, found from Mexico to Panama with occassional birds in Texas and Arizona. The "citrea" subspecies seen here has a more pale yellow hue than the more reddish birds of the other subspecies. They are omnivores feeding on anthopods and berries, but a specific behaviour they have been observed doing is snatching prey being carried by army ants.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Piranga
SUBSPECIES: P. b. bidentata, P. b. citrea, P. b. flammea, P. b. sanguinolenta
 
- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Quitrique de Espalda Rayada

Found in Talamancan Montane Forest Ecozone
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at San Gerardo de Dota 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Piranga (from Tupi name for an unknown bird) rubra ("red")

 

 Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Piranga rubra rubra
Weight: 30g  /  Length: 17cm  /  Wingspan: 28-30cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, the Summer Tanager has a recently been reevaltuated as a member of the cardinal family, which makes sense with it's bright red plumage. In so far as the Summer part of it's name goes, it primarily breeds in the US South and Northern Mexico, and here where I saw it in Costa Rica, was in it's Wintering range
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Piranga
SUBSPECIES: P. r. cooperi, P. r. rubra
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Tángara Roja Migratoria ("Migratory Red Tanager")

A widespread Winter visitor
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles, San Jose, San Gerardo de Dota and Hotel Robledal

 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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