Bay-Headed Tanager
Tangara gyrola
About This Species
A brightly coloured tanager of humid lowland and foothill forest in Central and northern South America, typically seen in mixed-species flocks moving through the mid-storey and canopy in search of fruit and insects. It is often located by its thin, high-pitched calls before it comes into view, and sightings are most reliable at forest edges, clearings and fruiting trees during the morning feeding peak. Flocks tend to move quickly, so patience at a productive fruiting tree usually pays off better than active searching.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Watching from a stationary position at a reasonable distance, rather than approaching, gives the best views since flocks move through quickly and are easily pushed on by pursuit.
- Wildlife protection laws vary across its range of several Central and South American countries, so travellers should check local rules, particularly within protected areas and reserves where access and behaviour restrictions may apply.
- Avoiding the use of playback or bait to draw birds in closer is a good general precaution to minimise stress on wild flocks.
LCAvesPasseriformesThraupidae
Seasonal Activity
238,250 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
Photo
(c) Ken Chamberlain, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ken Chamberlain
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.