Return of Bird of the Week: Crimson-backed Tanager

Not all of the tanagers are yellow and blue. This is the Crimson-backed Tanager, a species native to northwestern South America and Panama. It’s sexually dichromatic; the males have a slightly swollen, white lower mandible, shown here. While the species is not well studied, it appears to adapt reasonably well to human alteration of the tropical landscape. It’s common in cities and disturbed areas. It was the first bird WC and Mrs. WC saw from their hotel window a quarter mile from the Panama City airport. Based on Breeding Bird Survey, the population is stable, even if the population size…