Image via Macaulay Library
Blue-backed Tanager
- Scientific name
- Cyanicterus cyanicterus
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Conservation status
- Least concern
- Habitat
- Forest mixed
- Wing shape
- Rounded
- Tail shape
- Rounded
Where it came from
The Blue-backed Tanager, Cyanicterus cyanicterus, is a unique Neotropical bird primarily found in the canopy of humid forests in the Guiana Shield. Unlike the typical brightly patterned tanagers, this species is noted for its distinct, somewhat somber plumage and specific anatomical features like its rounded wings and tail, which assist in its maneuvering through dense tropical vegetation.
First described by ornithologists in the mid-18th century, the species occupies a distinct niche in the Thraupidae family. Because it inhabits the high canopy, it has historically remained elusive to observers, leading to a long-standing fascination among naturalists who study the structural adaptations of South American birds. Its design—specifically its evolution toward a rounded flight profile—reflects a specialized adaptation to life in thick forest environments rather than the long-distance migration seen in other passerines.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Blue-backed Tanager
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