Masked Flowerpiercer
Diglossa cyanea
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyThraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
- GenusDiglossa (Flowerpiercers)
- SpeciesDiglossa cyanea (Masked Flowerpiercer)
About the Masked Flowerpiercer
The masked flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea) is a species of bird in the tanager family, Thraupidae. It is found in humid montane forest and scrub in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Flowerpiercers got their name from the fact that they have a sharp hook on the tip of their upper mandible which they use to slice open the base of flowers to get at the nectar.
The masked flowerpiercer was formally described in 1840 by the French ornithologist Frédéric de Lafresnaye based on a specimen collected by Auguste Boissonneau near Santa Fe, Bogotá in Colombia. Lafresnaye coined the binomial name Uncirostrum cyaneum. The masked flowerpiercer is now one of 18 flowerpiercers placed in the genus Diglossa that was introduced in 1832 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler.
Five subspecies are recognised: D. c. obscura Phelps, WH & Phelps, WH Jr, 1952 – northwest Venezuela D. c. tovarensis Zimmer, JT & Phelps, WH, 1952 – north Venezuela D. c. cyanea (Lafresnaye, 1840) – west Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador (except southwest)
D. c. dispar Zimmer, JT, 1942 – southwest Ecuador and northwest Peru D. c. melanopis Tschudi, 1844 – Peru to central Bolivia Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Masked Flowerpiercer in Cajas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cajas National Park
Black Flowerpiercer
Diglossa humeralis
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Diglossa albilatera
Rusty Flowerpiercer
Diglossa sittoides
Glossy Flowerpiercer
Diglossa lafresnayii
Tit-like Dacnis
Xenodacnis parina
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch
Geospizopsis unicolor
Plain-colored Seedeater
Catamenia inornata
Giant Conebill
Conirostrum binghami
Superciliaried Hemispingus
Thlypopsis superciliaris
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Anisognathus igniventris
Blue-and-black Tanager
Tangara vassorii
Cinereous Conebill
Conirostrum cinereum
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chingaza National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Cajas National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 5 | Puracé National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 7 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 8 | Madidi National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 9 | Cordillera Azul National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Masked Flowerpiercer in Cajas National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Flowerpiercer sighting in Cajas National Park, based on 265 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Masked Flowerpiercer in Cajas National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Masked Flowerpiercer in Cajas National Park in our monthly data.