Palm Tanager

The Palm Tanager is a plain but pleasant songbird, its plumage a muted olive-gray to grayish-brown overall, with somewhat darker, blackish-tinged flight feathers that add subtle contrast. Though far less vividly colored than many of its tanager relatives, its confiding, familiar presence in gardens and parks across much of tropical America has made it a well-known and easily recognized bird throughout its wide range.

As its name suggests, it shows a particular fondness for palm trees, where it forages for fruit and often nests among the fronds, and it is frequently seen in the company of the similarly common and closely related Blue-gray Tanager, the two species often foraging together in mixed pairs or small groups.

Key field marks

• Overall olive-gray to grayish-brown plumage
• Darker, blackish-tinged flight feathers
• Lacks the bright blue shoulder patch of the closely related Blue-gray Tanager
• Often associated with palm trees

Similar species

• Blue-gray Tanager is more vividly blue-toned with a contrasting bright blue shoulder patch, easily distinguishing it from the duller, plainer Palm Tanager.
• Female and immature euphonias can appear superficially similar but are smaller with shorter tails and different bill shapes.

Habitat

Inhabits gardens, parks, palm groves, forest edge, and open and semi-open woodland.

Range

Widespread from Mexico through Central America and across much of northern and central South America.

Migration

Non-migratory and sedentary.

Behavior

Often seen in pairs or small groups, foraging actively in trees, especially palms, and readily coexisting with people in gardens and parks; frequently associates with Blue-gray Tanagers.

Voice

A thin, squeaky, buzzy song of simple notes, similar in quality to that of the Blue-gray Tanager, along with sharp chip calls.

Feeding

Feeds on fruit, nectar, and insects, foraged from trees and shrubs, with a particular fondness for palm fruit.

Nesting

Builds a cup nest of grass and plant fibers, often tucked among palm fronds or in a tree; lays 2 eggs, incubated by the female.