Golden Tanager

Overview

The Golden Tanager is a small, richly colored songbird of the Andes, found from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia. Its plumage is a saturated golden-yellow across most of the body, set off by a bold black patch through the eye and ear coverts and black markings on the back and wings. Unlike many Tangara tanagers, the sexes look nearly identical. It is a regular member of mixed-species foraging flocks moving through humid montane forest edge and secondary growth.

Feather Identification

• Body: Golden-yellow contour feathers cover the head, throat, breast, and belly, with intensity varying slightly by subspecies from lemon-yellow to more orange-tinged.
• Face: A solid black patch runs through the eye and ear coverts, contrasting sharply with the yellow face.
• Back: Feathers have dark centers, creating a streaked or lightly scaled appearance on the mantle.
• Wings and tail: Flight feathers are blackish, edged with yellow-green fringes that form pale wing markings; tail feathers are similarly dark-centered with pale edges.
• Versus similar tanagers: Other Tangara species in the same range show additional facial markings, blue or green patches, or different underpart colors; the Golden Tanager's unmarked golden underparts paired with a single black ear patch are diagnostic.

Plumage Notes

Sexes are similar, which is unusual among Tangara tanagers, many of which show marked plumage differences between males and females. Juveniles are duller and more olive-yellow, gradually acquiring the bright adult coloration. A single complete molt follows breeding. Some geographic variation exists in the intensity of yellow versus orange tones across the species' range.

Habitat & Range

The Golden Tanager occurs along the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia, generally in humid subtropical and lower temperate forest zones. It favors forest edge, clearings, and secondary growth rather than deep forest interior. The species is resident, though it may make short elevational movements in response to fruiting cycles.

Behavior & Field Notes

Golden Tanagers forage in pairs or small groups for fruit and insects gleaned from foliage, frequently joining mixed tanager flocks moving through the forest canopy and edge. Nests are small open cups built in shrubs or low trees. Vocalizations include thin, high-pitched chips and soft twittering notes given while foraging.