Blue-grey Tanager
Scientific Name
Class
Order
Range
Habitat
Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Blue-gray tanagers were named for their two-toned coloration: gray or light blue on their head and chest, deepening to a brighter blue coloration along their wings and tail. These medium-sized songbirds have black eyes and a short, thick, blueish-gray bill. They prefer semi-open areas and high spaces, often feeding at the tops of trees and perching on phone wires.
Interesting Fact 1
Blue-gray tanagers feed primarily on soft fruit, like tangerines, but they also eat insects and nectar.
Interesting Fact 2
In the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, they have earned the nickname “blue jean” due to their coloration.
Interesting Fact 3
Females lay one to three spotted eggs in a cup-shaped nest.
Species Survival Plan®
We cooperate with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage the zoo population of this species through a Species Survival Plan®.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
Support Your Zoo
Animals Depend On People Too
When you ADOPT an animal, you support world-class animal care by helping to provide specially formulated diets, new habitat elements, and regular veterinary checkups.
Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
Take Action With Us
Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
