Palm Tanager

Thraupis palmarum

eBird describes the Palm Tanager like this:  Large, plain tanager, gray overall with hints of olive-green in good light; note contrasting black wings with paler patch at base of primaries. A habitat generalist often found around palm trees and in open shrubby areas, gardens, and forest edges. Usually in pairs or small flocks, sometimes with other species. Often quite noisy and conspicuous; gives a series of sputtering squeaks or a single nasal “swee?”

The Birds of the World site introduces the Palm Tanager with these words:  The Palm Tanager is one of the most widespread and familiar birds of humid lowland forests of the neotropics, from Nicaragua south to southern Brazil. The Palm Tanager is similar in many ways to the Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus), although the Palm Tanager is less likely to colonize urban centers, as do Blue-gray TanagersPalm Tanagers are common at forest borders, but also occur in the canopy of the interior of forest. As the name suggests, Palm Tanagers often are associated with palm trees, but by no means are they restricted to living in palms. Their diet is roughly equally balanced between fruit and arthropods. When foraging, they often cling to the undersides of large leaves, such as to the ends of palm fronds and to Cecropia leaves. Palm Tanagers usually travel in pairs, or in small groups. They often forage apart from other species, but Palm Tanagers also commonly join aggregations of other species at fruiting trees.

I saw my first Palm Tanager on the afternoon of February 5, 2023, at the Pollen & Nectar Reserve.  I was happy to add this bird to my life list!  To see my blog post that includes my tour group’s visit to the Nectar & Pollen Reserve, look here

PALM WARBLER AT NECTAR & POLLEN RESERVE, FEBRUARY 5, 2023.
PALM TANAGER, REAR VIEW.
ONE FINAL PHOTO OF THE PALM TANAGER AT NECTAR & POLLEN RESERVE.