Ruby-crowned tanager

The ruby-crowned tanager is a small bird, 16 centimeters or 6 inches long, weighing from 26 to 33 grams. Males are shining black with concealed red crests on the front of their head that they rarely raise, usually when excited, and white wingpits that are visible only when flying. Females are light brown, with slight black streaking under the throat and darker wings. Both sexes possess conical bills and black legs and feet.

Ruby-crowned tanagers have a large range, occupying most of southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and the Misiones Province of Argentina. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.

Ruby-crowned tanagers eat lots of fruit and insects, as well as seeds. They sometimes pursue swarms of army ants to find food, and will come to feeding stations with fruit.

Ruby-crowned tanagers live in pairs, but can also be seen in slightly larger flocks or alone. They are active, and will quickly move from one fruit tree to another in search of food.