Up close with Azure-shouldered tanager, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

The azure-shouldered tanager (Thraupis cyanoptera) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. Many species of Thraupis tanagers are widely-distributed, but the Azure-shouldered Tanager occurs only in the Atlantic forest region of southeastern Brazil, from Espírito Santo south to Rio Grande do Sul. Its distribution overlaps that of the Sayaca Tanager (Thraupis sayaca), but the Azure-shouldered Tanager is larger with a heavier bill, has deep blue wing coverts, and a buffy belly. The Azure-shouldered Tanager forages in humid forest, at forest edge, and in adjacent second growth, but in general it is more closely associated with forest than is the Sayaca Tanager. The diet of the Azure-shouldered Tanager includes both fruit and arthropods.

Currently considered Near-threatened as per IUCN redlist. Restricted-range species: present in Atlantic Forest Lowlands EBA. Uncommon to locally fairly common.