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BIRDGACHA / FIELD NOTES

Tanagers and allies

Tanagers and their allies are extraordinarily varied songbirds whose bills range from fine and pointed to deep and seed-crushing. Brilliant blues, greens and reds occur alongside plain brown or streaked plumage, and the family includes seedeaters, flowerpiercers and other birds that do not resemble the familiar colourful tanager stereotype. Examples include Plushcap (Catamblyrhynchus diadema), Coal-crested Finch (Charitospiza eucosma), and Brown Tanager (Orchesticus abeillei). Fruit, seeds, nectar and invertebrates support different feeding specializations, so bill shape and observed food are particularly informative clues. Identify the feeding method and body proportions before using a bright colour to choose among this family's many lineages.

How to recognize Tanagers and allies

  • Compare the bill with the observed food or feeding surface.
  • Check crown, throat, wing and rump colours as separate markings.
  • Allow for plain females or young birds in otherwise colourful species.
  • Use elevation and forest versus open-country habitat to narrow the comparison.

Where they live

The family occurs in the Americas, with especially high diversity in tropical South America. Lowland rainforest, Andean cloud forest, scrub, grassland and high mountain vegetation support different members. Some travel in mixed feeding flocks, while others remain in more open terrain; country, elevation and vegetation structure are essential when narrowing the possible species. Several North American birds called tanagers belong to Cardinalidae in this catalogue, so check the scientific family rather than relying on the English name.

Species accounts: Plushcap · Coal-crested Finch · Brown Tanager

Sources — natural history: Burns et al. (2014): tanager diversity and feeding adaptations · Cornell Birds of the World: Plushcap (Catamblyrhynchus diadema), species natural history.

Classification: Cornell Lab: tanagers and allies, family members and classification · IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.

Explore similarities in appearance, feeding and habitat. These comparisons do not necessarily indicate the closest evolutionary relatives.

Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.

393 results · page 1 of 9

PlushcapPlushcapCatamblyrhynchus diademaCoal-crested FinchCoal-crested FinchCharitospiza eucosmaBrown TanagerBrown TanagerOrchesticus abeilleiYellow-shouldered GrosbeakYellow-shouldered GrosbeakParkerthraustes humeralisHooded TanagerHooded TanagerNemosia pileataCherry-throated TanagerCherry-throated TanagerNemosia roureiBlue-backed TanagerBlue-backed TanagerCyanicterus cyanicterusWhite-capped TanagerWhite-capped TanagerSericossypha albocristataScarlet-throated TanagerScarlet-throated TanagerCompsothraupis loricataBlack-masked FinchBlack-masked FinchCoryphaspiza melanotisPampa FinchPampa FinchEmbernagra platensisSerra FinchSerra FinchEmbernagra longicaudaLesser Grass FinchLesser Grass FinchEmberizoides ypiranganusWedge-tailed Grass FinchWedge-tailed Grass FinchEmberizoides herbicolaDuida Grass FinchDuida Grass FinchEmberizoides duidaeGreat Inca FinchGreat Inca FinchIncaspiza pulchraRufous-backed Inca FinchRufous-backed Inca FinchIncaspiza personataGrey-winged Inca FinchGrey-winged Inca FinchIncaspiza ortiziBuff-bridled Inca FinchBuff-bridled Inca FinchIncaspiza laetaLittle Inca FinchLittle Inca FinchIncaspiza watkinsiMourning Sierra FinchMourning Sierra FinchRhopospina fruticetiBlue FinchBlue FinchRhopospina caerulescensBand-tailed Sierra FinchBand-tailed Sierra FinchRhopospina alaudinaCarbonated Sierra FinchCarbonated Sierra FinchRhopospina carbonariaGreen HoneycreeperGreen HoneycreeperChlorophanes spizaGolden-collared HoneycreeperGolden-collared HoneycreeperIridophanes pulcherrimusScarlet-and-white TanagerScarlet-and-white TanagerChrysothlypis salmoniBlack-and-yellow TanagerBlack-and-yellow TanagerChrysothlypis chrysomelasSulphur-rumped TanagerSulphur-rumped TanagerHeterospingus rubrifronsScarlet-browed TanagerScarlet-browed TanagerHeterospingus xanthopygiusYellow-backed TanagerYellow-backed TanagerHemithraupis flavicollisGuira TanagerGuira TanagerHemithraupis guiraRufous-headed TanagerRufous-headed TanagerHemithraupis ruficapillaSwallow TanagerSwallow TanagerTersina viridisPurple HoneycreeperPurple HoneycreeperCyanerpes caeruleusRed-legged HoneycreeperRed-legged HoneycreeperCyanerpes cyaneusShort-billed HoneycreeperShort-billed HoneycreeperCyanerpes nitidusShining HoneycreeperShining HoneycreeperCyanerpes lucidusScarlet-breasted DacnisScarlet-breasted DacnisDacnis berlepschiScarlet-thighed DacnisScarlet-thighed DacnisDacnis venustaBlue DacnisBlue DacnisDacnis cayanaYellow-bellied DacnisYellow-bellied DacnisDacnis flaviventerTurquoise DacnisTurquoise DacnisDacnis hartlaubiBlack-faced DacnisBlack-faced DacnisDacnis lineataYellow-tufted DacnisYellow-tufted DacnisDacnis egregiaViridian DacnisViridian DacnisDacnis viguieriBlack-legged DacnisBlack-legged DacnisDacnis nigripesWhite-bellied DacnisWhite-bellied DacnisDacnis albiventris