Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/birding-colombia/ / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Saffron-crowned Tanager
Tangara xanthocephala
Saffron-crowned Tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) — 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 Saffron-crowned Tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 19 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 Tangara
- Species xanthocephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Saffron-crowned Tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Venezuela to Bolivia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19 g, with a wing length of about 7.4 cm and a tail of around 5 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 357,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Saffron-crowned Tanager?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is a small bird that weighs around 19 g.
Where does the Saffron-crowned Tanager live?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is found across South America with a range covering SA Venezuela to Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Saffron-crowned Tanager belong to?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Saffron-crowned Tanager eat?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Saffron-crowned Tanager migrate?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Saffron-crowned 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 Saffron-crowned Tanager make?
1 real field recording of the Saffron-crowned Tanager — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Saffron-crowned Tanager's range?
The Saffron-crowned Tanager has a mapped global range of about 357,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.