Photo: Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-capped Tanager
Sporathraupis cyanocephala
Blue-capped Tanager (Sporathraupis cyanocephala) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue-capped Tanager (Sporathraupis cyanocephala) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 36 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Sporathraupis
- Species cyanocephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 36 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue-capped Tanager is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blue-capped Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-capped Tanager (Sporathraupis cyanocephala) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w, n.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 36 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 8.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 430,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-capped Tanager?
The Blue-capped Tanager is a small bird that weighs around 36 g.
Where does the Blue-capped Tanager live?
The Blue-capped Tanager is found across South America with a range covering SA w, n, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Blue-capped Tanager belong to?
The Blue-capped Tanager (Sporathraupis cyanocephala) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blue-capped Tanager eat?
The Blue-capped Tanager is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Blue-capped Tanager migrate?
The Blue-capped Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-capped Tanager endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Blue-capped Tanager make?
1 real field recording of the Blue-capped Tanager — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blue-capped Tanager's range?
The Blue-capped Tanager has a mapped global range of about 430,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Thraupidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.