This eye-catching tanager is found only in Brazil and is part of the genus Tangara, which includes some of the most spectacularly colored birds in South America, including the Green-headed Tanager.
Although it exists in one of the most threatened biomes on earth, the Atlantic Forest, the Gilt-edged Tanager is locally common and can be seen at ABC-supported reserves such as the Mata do Passarinho Reserve (also known as Stresemann's Bristlefront Reserve). Here, ABC and Fundação Biodiversitas, supported by PetroBras, have protected 1,468 acres of land to support rare species such as the Stresemann's Bristlefront and Banded Cotinga. The Saffron Toucanet is also found here.
This bird's call and song are a series of sharp, short notes and accelerating trills.
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Gilt-edged Tanagers can often be found in groups of several birds, foraging for insects in the mid to upper tree canopy in lowland evergreen and secondary forest. Young birds from previous broods may be seen helping a mated pair at their nest.
This species is not classified as threatened, since it has a large range and the population trend seems to be stable. However, habitat in the Atlantic Forest is increasingly fragmented, and most of the population is found on protected land.
Places like the ABC-supported Guapi Assu Reserve in southeast Brazil, where visitors can also see the Green-headed Tanager, Saw-billed Hermit, and many other species, are essential to the survival of Brazil's incredible bird diversity.
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