Scientific Name: Chlorophanes spiza

Very attractive small tanager of humid tropical lowlands. Found in humid evergreen forest edges, plantations, and gardens; at times with mixed-species feeding flocks of honeycreepers and euphonias. Often in pairs, feeding at all levels in fruiting trees and bushes. Note the short, curved bill. Males are a unique green-blue color with black hood and a banana yellow beak. Female resembles female Red-legged Honeycreeper but is larger, brighter, uniform green, with yellow lower bill and grayish legs.

Energetic and agile, this species moves deftly through the canopy, frequently hanging upside down to reach ripe fruit or probe flowers. It feeds mainly on small fruits, nectar, and occasional insects, using its curved bill with precision. Its soft, high-pitched calls help maintain contact within pairs or flocks as they travel together. Despite its vivid coloration, it can blend remarkably well into dense foliage. In Costa Rica, it is commonly seen in fruiting trees near forest edges and is a regular visitor to gardens with native plants.