Photo: sngcanary / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purplish-mantled Tanager
Iridosornis porphyrocephalus
Purplish-mantled Tanager (Iridosornis porphyrocephalus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purplish-mantled Tanager (Iridosornis porphyrocephalus) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 21.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Iridosornis
- Species porphyrocephalus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.7 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purplish-mantled 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 Purplish-mantled Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purplish-mantled Tanager (Iridosornis porphyrocephalus) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Ecuador.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 22,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purplish-mantled Tanager?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager is a small bird that weighs around 21.7 g.
Where does the Purplish-mantled Tanager live?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purplish-mantled Tanager belong to?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager (Iridosornis porphyrocephalus) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purplish-mantled Tanager eat?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Purplish-mantled Tanager migrate?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purplish-mantled Tanager endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Purplish-mantled Tanager make?
1 real field recording of the Purplish-mantled Tanager — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Purplish-mantled Tanager's range?
The Purplish-mantled Tanager has a mapped global range of about 22,000 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.