I look up the moss-backed tanager and I feel like I'm in pretty exclusive company. It is Choco-endemic, that is, it is only found in the Andean cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador and western Colombia. eBird shows only 2,674 observations and 327 photos. The four top photos on eBird were all taken at Amagusa Preserve in Mashpi and the four top videos were all taken in Mashpi, two at Amagusa Preserve, and one just below it on the road to Mashpi Lodge. It was at Amagusa Preserve in Mashpi that I saw this rare bird.
Wikipedia has one paragraph on it that does not even describe it. eBird only has one paragraph, but at least describes it.
eBird describes it as having olive plumage with a yellow spot on the breast, blue wings and a distinctive blue and black pattern on the head. The upper mandible of the beak is a violet-purple while the lower mandible is yellowishi-orange.
The tucked-in wings look so short. It would be interesting to see it in flight.
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