Birds diurnal

Silver-throated Tanager

Tangara icterocephala

A flash of living sunshine in the mossy cloud forests, the Silver-throated Tanager is a social gem known for its brilliant yellow coat and unique silvery bib.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

Length: 13 cm (5.1 in); Wingspan: approx. 20-23 cm (8-9 in); Weight: 22 g (0.78 oz)

palette

Colors

Bright canary-yellow body with a distinct silvery-white throat; black streaking on the back; wings and tail are black with vibrant lime-green edges. Females are slightly duller and greener.

visibility

Key Features

Distinctive silvery-white throat patch
Thin black line separating the white throat from the yellow cheeks
Bright yellow plumage with black-streaked mantle
Lime-green edging on wing and tail feathers

When You’ll See Them

schedule

Activity pattern diurnal

brightness_5

Peak hours 6:30 AM - 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

calendar_month

Season Year-round; sightings often increase during local peak fruiting seasons (varies by region).

restaurant

Diet Primarily frugivorous, they specialize in small berries, particularly those from the Melastome family. They supplement their diet by gleaning insects, spiders, and larvae from moss-covered branches and the undersides of leaves.

park

Habitat Inhabits humid montane forests, mossy woodlands, and forest edges; frequently visits high-altitude secondary forests and leafy suburban gardens near forested areas.

bar_chart
Loading activity data...

Behavior

The Silver-throated Tanager is a high-energy bird often found moving through the mid-canopy and forest edges. They are highly social and are rarely seen alone, typically traveling in pairs or small family groups. They are a staple member of mixed-species foraging flocks, often seen moving alongside honeycreepers, wood-warblers, and other tanagers as they traverse the forest in search of food.

These birds are known for their restless nature, constantly hopping and fluttering between branches. While they spend much of their time high up in the trees, they are quite bold and will descend to lower levels for a ripening fruit crop or a well-placed backyard feeder. Their vocalizations are thin, high-pitched 'tsip' calls that help keep the group together as they move through dense foliage.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To capture the brilliant yellow of the Silver-throated Tanager, camera placement is everything. These birds are canopy-dwellers by nature but are easily lured to lower levels with fruit. Mounting your AI camera near a platform feeder stocked with halved bananas or papayas is the most effective strategy. Aim to place the camera 5 to 7 feet off the ground, ideally within a few feet of a 'perch' branch where the bird can land and survey the area before hopping onto the feeder.

Lighting is your biggest challenge in their typical mossy, overcast forest habitats. Position your camera so it faces away from the morning sun to avoid backlighting, which can turn this bird’s vibrant yellow into a dark silhouette. The 'Golden Hour' shortly after sunrise is the best time for photography, as the warm light emphasizes the metallic sheen of their white throat and the lime-green highlights in their wings. If your camera has adjustable exposure settings, a slight underexposure can help prevent the bright yellow feathers from 'blowing out' in direct sunlight.

Because they are fast-moving and prone to sudden twitches, set your camera to a high trigger speed or a multi-shot burst mode. This increases the likelihood of catching them in a still pose or with their wings partially fanned, revealing the intricate black and green patterns. If you are using a trail camera in a more natural forest setting, look for trees covered in moss and epiphytes near a water source; these birds often visit mossy limbs to pick out small insects, providing a more candid, 'wild' shot than a feeder setup.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Silver-throated Tanager.

Golden Tanager

Lacks the white throat patch and has a more uniform deep-yellow or golden-orange plumage across its entire head.

Saffron Finch

Has a thicker, finch-like beak and lacks the black-streaked back and silvery throat of the tanager.

Frequently Asked Questions

Silver-throated Tanagers are most active in the early morning hours, starting shortly after dawn, and again during a smaller burst of activity in the late afternoon before dusk.

The best way to attract them is by providing fruit. They are particularly fond of bananas, plantains, and papayas placed on elevated platform feeders, and they are drawn to gardens with native fruiting shrubs like melastomes.

Their diet is a mix of fruit and protein. They eat various small berries and fruits, but they also spend significant time 'gleaning' or picking insects and spiders off of leaves and mossy branches.

They can be quite common in suburban areas that are located near their natural forest habitats, especially if those backyards offer mature trees and consistent food sources like fruit feeders.

Look at the throat: the Silver-throated Tanager has a clear white/silvery patch bordered by a black line, whereas the Golden Tanager is almost entirely yellow/orange-yellow on the head and throat.

Record Silver-throated Tanager at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo