Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tangara ("dancer") icterocephala ("yellow headed")

Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Tangara icterocephala frantzii
Weight: 22g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A vividly coloured bird ranging from Costa Rica to Ecuador across montane habitats. They typically range from 600-1800m elevations, but this one was present at the outer edges of the ranges of where it's been recorded at over 2200m, no doubt in this instance attracted to the feeders at the cafe. They are omnivorous but the bulk of their diet is fruit. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Tangara
SUBSPECIES: T. i. frantzii, T. i. oresbia, T. i. icterocephala
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Tangara Dorada ("Golden Tanager")

A widespread upland species
- 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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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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Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus)

OTHER NAMES: Blue Jean
Latin Etymology: Thraupis (an unidentified bird mentioned by Aristotle) episcopus ("bishop")

Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Thraupis episcopus cana
Weight: 30-40g  /  Length: 16-18cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the more common and instantly recognisable birds in Costa Rica, the Blue-grey Tanager is precisely the bird of it's name - a distinctively pale blue bird with azure wings and tail. They have adapted well to human disturbance and their varied diet of nectar, insects and fruits is versatile enough to support them in a range of habitats. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Thraupis
SUBSPECIES: T. e. cana, T. e. caesita, T. e. cumatilis, T. e. nesophilus, T. e. berlepschi, T. e. quaesita, T. e. leucoptera, T. e. mediana, T. e. coelestis, T. e. episcopus, T. e. caerulea, T. e. major, T. e. urubambae
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Tanagara Azuleja ("Blue Tanager")
A widespread and common species
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen throughout
 

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

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