White-shouldered Tanager – Mistico Park, CR

This White-shouldered Tanager was part of a mixed flock moving quickly through the canopy at Mistico Park near La Fortuna, Costa Rica. From one of the hanging bridges, we watched the flock work through the branches almost at eye level. The male’s glossy black plumage and bold white shoulder patch made him easy to pick out among the other birds. White-shouldered Tanagers often join mixed-species feeding flocks, searching actively for insects, fruit, and seeds as they move through the forest. Hanging bridges offer a real advantage here, putting birders directly into the canopy where much of the action happens.