Flame-rumped Tanager
(Lemon-rumped Ssp.)

The Flame-rumped Tanager , known locally as the Lemon-rumped Tanager, occurs in western Ecuador from Esmeraldas to El Oro, inhabiting lowland and foothill forests, forest edges, and secondary growth typically below 1,200 meters. It is generally common and conspicuous, often seen in pairs or small groups foraging for fruit and insects in the midstory, with males displaying glossy black plumage and a bright yellow rump. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a broad Chocó range and a stable population that adapts well to disturbed habitats. Natural history observations highlight its social behavior, frequent vocalizations, and cup-shaped nests built in dense vegetation, though hybridization with other Ramphocelus forms in contact zones remains an area of active study.