Birdsong field guide
Blue-gray Tanager
Thraupis episcopus
A common and conspicuous Neotropical songbird characterized by its uniform pale blue and gray plumage and restless behavior.
What it sounds like
A rapid, thin, and squeaky series of high-pitched notes, often transcribed as 'tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
Field notes
- It is highly social and typically seen in pairs or small, active groups throughout the day.
- The species is remarkably adaptable, often thriving in urban parks and residential gardens as well as forest edges.
- There are approximately 14 recognized subspecies, varying primarily in the intensity of blue on the wing coverts.
- While primarily frugivorous, it frequently engages in 'sallying' to capture slow-moving insects in mid-air.
- In many Latin American countries, it is affectionately known as 'Azulejo' due to its sky-blue coloration.
Habitat
Open woodlands, agricultural clearings, gardens, and humid forest edges.
Range
Mexico south through Central America to the Amazon Basin and northern South America.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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