Green Honeycreeper

Chlorophanes spiza

eBird describes the Green Honeycreeper like this:  Very attractive small tanager of humid tropical lowlands. Found in humid evergreen forest edges, plantations, and gardens; at times with mixed-species feeding flocks of honeycreepers and euphonias. Often in pairs, feeding at all levels in fruiting trees and bushes. Note the short, curved bill. Males are a unique green-blue color with black hood and a banana yellow beak. Female resembles female Red-legged Honeycreeper but is larger, brighter, uniform green, with yellow lower bill and grayish legs.

The Birds of the World website introduces this bird like this:  Green Honeycreepers (Chlorophanes spiza) are brightly colored tanagers found from southern Mexico to Brazil. Seven subspecies are recognized. This species occurs in the canopy of humid lowland forest.  They can be found singly or in pairs and often forage as part of mixed species flocks. Green Honeycreepers consume mostly fruit although they also consume small insects and nectar. The IUCN lists the conservation status of Green Honeycreeper as “Least Concern.” Although the Green Honeycreeper is widespread and common, little is known about many aspects of its natural history.

I met my first Green Honey Creeper at La Selva on the late afternoon of February 5, 2023.  There were both males and females with a mixed flock high up in a tree visible at a distance from the mess hall, at the top of the canopy.  Using his scope, our guide Sam identified a female Scarlet-thighed Dacnis and several Blue Dacnis, and both male and female Green Honeycreepers.  The mixed flock also included an oriole and a Red-legged Honeycreeper.  It was quite a colorful sight as the late afternoon setting sun illuminated the top of that tree!  I got some photos with my P1000, which should give you some idea of the scene we enjoyed that day.  To see my blog post that covers my visit to La Selva and watching these birds, look here.