Gray-headed Tanager

Eucometis penicillate

eBird provides this description of the Gray-headed Tanager:  Small, uncommon tanager of humid tropical lowland forest, sometimes found at army ant swarms. Typically inhabits low to mid-levels of shady understory, as singles or pairs. Sexes look alike, with bushy gray head cleanly cut off from the rich yellow underparts and olive-green upperparts. Song is a rich squeaky warble, at times prolonged.

The Birds of the World website introduces the Gray-headed Tanager with this descriptive information: The Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata) is the only member of the genus Eucometis. It is a lowland tanager consisting of seven subspecies that are found primarily in forested habitats from southern Mexico to northern Paraguay. Its plumage is a yellowish olive over much of its body, with a conspicuous gray head and crest. These tanagers have somewhat conical bills with a large, rounded notch on the upper mandible. They have adapted to several different ways of life and habitats; their diet includes fruit and insects, and they are known to follow army ant swarms to feed on insects escaping from the ants, particularly north and west of the Andes. The Gray-headed Tanager is capable of living at least ten years (Willis 1985), usually travels in pairs and spends most of its time in the dense forest understory. It often occurs in mixed-species flocks, particularly east of the Andes. The conservation status of the Gray-headed Tanager is assessed by the IUCN as  of Least Concern; however, there is little information on the populations and demography of the species.

I met, and photographed, my first Gray-headed Tanager on the morning of Saturday, February 11, 2023 in Costa Rica.  Our birding group with Tropical Birding Tours was walking one of the trails of Carara National Park when we spotted and watched this bird.