Birds Active during the day

Beryl-spangled Tanager

Tangara nigroviridis

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

A shimmering jewel of the cloud forest, the Beryl-spangled Tanager dazzles with its metallic, scaled plumage. This energetic Andean resident is a master of the canopy, bringing vibrant life to the misty mountain slopes of South America.

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0 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

12-13 cm (4.7-5.1 in) in length; weighs 14-20 g (0.5-0.7 oz)

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Colors

Metallic turquoise or beryl-green scales over a black base; black face mask and throat; wings and tail are black with bright blue edging.

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Key Features

Distinctive 'spangled' appearance with shimmering green spots
Deep black mask extending from the beak through the eyes
Compact songbird shape with a short, stout beak
Vibrant blue highlights on the wing coverts and tail feathers

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 6-10 AM, 3-5 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Omnivorous; primarily feeds on small berries and melastome fruits, but also gleans insects and spiders from mossy bark and the undersides of leaves.

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Habitat Humid montane forests, cloud forests, forest edges, and lush gardens in high-elevation regions.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Beryl-spangled Tanager Live?

Native to the lush slopes of the South American Andes, the Beryl-spangled Tanager occupies a long, narrow range stretching from the coastal cordilleras of Venezuela through the mountainous regions of Colombia and Ecuador. Its territory continues southward through the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru and reaches its southern limit in the yungas of Bolivia. These birds are permanent residents within these tropical and subtropical zones, rarely wandering far from their moist, high-altitude habitats.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

5 Countries

1.2M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

CO Colombia EC Ecuador PE Peru VE Venezuela BO Bolivia

Elevation range

0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m

1,500 m – 2,900 m

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Beryl-spangled Tanager is a high-energy songbird known for its active and social nature. It is most frequently encountered as a core member of mixed-species foraging flocks, moving through the canopy alongside other tanagers, flowerpiercers, and woodcreepers. These birds are remarkably agile, often seen hopping quickly along moss-covered branches or performing acrobatic maneuvers to reach hanging fruit.

While they are primarily canopy dwellers, they are not particularly shy and will descend to forest edges and clearings, especially where fruit-bearing trees are present. In suburban areas bordering cloud forests, they can become quite accustomed to human presence, often visiting gardens and established feeding stations. Their social interactions are usually peaceful, though they can be territorial around a favored food source during the breeding season.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

Capturing the Beryl-spangled Tanager on camera requires strategic height placement. Because these birds spend most of their time in the mid-to-upper canopy, mounting your camera at eye level or higher is essential. If your property is on a slope, look for a spot where the camera can look horizontally into the trees. If you have a balcony or deck overlooking a forested area, this is an ideal location to set up your equipment to capture their activity without looking up from the ground.

To bring these iridescent beauties closer to your lens, provide a platform feeder stocked with native fruits or halved bananas and plantains. These tanagers have a significant sweet tooth and will regularly visit a reliable food source. Placing the feeder near dense foliage will make them feel secure enough to linger, giving your camera more time to trigger. A water feature, such as an elevated birdbath or a dripper, can also be a powerful draw in the humid Andean environment.

Light management is the biggest challenge when photographing this species. Their 'spangles' only show their true metallic brilliance when hit by direct or dappled sunlight; otherwise, they may simply look like dark, nondescript birds. Position your camera to face away from the sun (north or south) to avoid silhouettes and to maximize the reflective properties of their feathers. High-speed shutter settings or short video clips are recommended to capture their quick, flitting movements.

Finally, since they often travel in mixed flocks, keep your camera settings optimized for multiple subjects. A wider field of view can capture the social dynamics of the flock, while a higher sensitivity setting (PIR) will ensure the camera triggers even for these small, fast-moving targets. Early morning, just as the mist begins to lift, is the 'golden hour' for Beryl-spangled activity, so ensure your batteries are fresh and your SD card has plenty of space before sunrise.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Beryl-spangled Tanager.

Blue-and-black Tanager

Lacks the shimmering scaled pattern; has solid blue upperparts and underparts compared to the spangled look.

Metallic-green Tanager

Much paler and more uniform silvery-green color without the heavy black base and distinct spotting of the Beryl-spangled.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Beryl-spangled Tanagers are most active in the early morning, usually starting just after dawn until about 10 AM. They have a second, smaller peak of activity in the late afternoon before they retreat to cover for the night.

If you live within their Andean range, you can attract them by planting native fruiting trees or installing platform feeders with soft fruits like bananas, papayas, and oranges. Providing an elevated water source like a misting birdbath is also very effective.

Their diet consists of a variety of small fruits and berries, particularly those from the Melastomataceae family. They also supplement their diet with insects and spiders which they find by searching through moss and lichens on tree branches.

Yes, they are quite common in suburban areas that are situated at high altitudes and possess plenty of trees or are adjacent to forest reserves. They adapt well to mature, fruit-filled gardens.

The key difference is the 'spangling.' The Beryl-spangled Tanager has a scaled appearance across its whole body due to green spots on black feathers. In contrast, the Blue-and-black Tanager has more solid, uniform patches of blue and black without the speckled or scaled effect.

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