With its glossy deep blue plumage, black mask and bright red eyes, this chubby bird is not one to be missed!
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Part of the tanager family, this birds coat is not as vibrant as its cousins, but this helps it blend into its surroundings.
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The masked flowerpiercer gets its name from the piercing hook it has on the tip of its bill which is used to cut open flowers to get the nectar.
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The female of this species looks slightly duller than the male, and the youngsters’ plumage is even duller, with dark grey underparts.
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You can find these birds in the humid forests and scrubs of South America.
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Their breeding season is usually from June to September although this may differ by a few months in Colombia and Venezuela.
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The female builds a cup-shaped nest out of moss and grass, usually placed in a bush, after finding a mate.
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Once she lays her eggs, she incubates alone, and both she and the male feed the babies once they are born until adulthood.
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Their diet largely consists of nectar and small fruit, although they do also eat seeds and insects if they are readily available.
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This bird is usually seen in mixed-species flocks around abundant sources of food with various other tanagers, other flowerpiercers and hummingbirds.
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