Birds
Scarlet-Rumped Tanager
Ramphocelus passerinii · also called Cherrie's tanager
Flitting between perches at a Central American forest edge, a male scarlet-rumped tanager reveals a vivid flash of red across an otherwise entirely black body, a single bold patch of colour that becomes most visible the moment the bird takes flight.
Overview
The scarlet-rumped tanager, Ramphocelus passerinii, is a striking black-and-red songbird native to rainforest and forest habitat across parts of Central America. Its bold single patch of scarlet colouring against otherwise solid black plumage, close relationship to the silver-beaked tanager, and ongoing taxonomic debate over its Pacific-slope population make it one of the more visually and scientifically interesting tanagers found anywhere in Central America.
One flash of colour on a mostly black bird
Rather than displaying a broad palette of colours like many of its tanager relatives, the scarlet-rumped tanager instead commits to a single bold contrast, an all-black body punctuated by one vivid patch of red that does most of the visual work.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable rainforest and forest edge habitat throughout Central America.
Scarlet-Rumped Tanager: common questions
Why is the scarlet-rumped tanager named that?
A male of this species is almost entirely black except for a vivid scarlet-red patch across the rump, a striking flash of colour that becomes especially visible during flight, giving the species both its common name and one of its most recognisable features.
How is the scarlet-rumped tanager related to the silver-beaked tanager?
This species belongs to the same genus as the silver-beaked tanager, both part of a small group of tanagers known for combining dark plumage with a single bold contrasting feature, whether a red rump or a pale silvery bill.
Is the scarlet-rumped tanager sometimes considered two species?
Yes, some taxonomists recognise a Pacific-slope population of this species as a distinct species, commonly known as Cherrie's tanager, reflecting ongoing scientific debate over exactly where the boundaries between closely related populations should be drawn.
Where is the scarlet-rumped tanager most easily seen?
This species is common in forest edge and second-growth habitat, often more easily observed in these more open areas than in deep, undisturbed rainforest interior, making forest margins a reliable place to spot it.