Silver Beaked Tanager

Copyright: monacoeye • All rights reserved • Para, Brazil, September 2011

Bird name: Silver Beaked Tanager
Latin: Ramphocelus carbo
Other: Sangre de toro apagado, toche negro (Es) • Tie-sangue (Br)
Family: Thraupidae • Tanagers
Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyanas, Peru, Paraguay
Similar: Female Guira Tanager

The Silver-beaked Tanager is quite common over its range. It seemed to be the default tanager approaching Tena and into the Upper Napo region of Ecuador. Also the most common tanager in the Pantanal in August, where it was often seen beside rivers and in fruiting trees. Also seen in Parà.

The male Silver-beaked Tanager (above) is easy to identify - dark red with bright lower bill. It can look black in weak light.

Females (below) are browner - but still reddish - with less contrast on the bill. They look similar to female Brazilian Tanagers, but fortunately the two ranges do not overlap.

Below, female Silver-beaked Tanager, nr Tena, Ecuador, Mar 2011


Below, juvenile or female Silver-beaked Tanager, Pantanal, August 2011.


Below, Silver-beaked Tanager, Curicaca Lodge, Pantanal, August.