A brilliantly colored tropical tanager, the blue dacnis is a widespread passerine and a relatively easy species for birders to add to their life lists when they travel within its range.

Common Name: Blue Dacnis, Turquoise Honeycreeper, Northern Blue Dacnis, Turquoise Dacnis

Scientific Name: Dacnis cyana (formerly Dacnis coerebicolor)

Scientific Family: Thraupidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Conical shape, black with reddish base, straight, relatively thin, sharply pointed

• Size: 4-4.5 inches long with 6-7-inch wingspan, thick neck, relatively short tail
• Colors: Black, turquoise blue, red, lime green, gray
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males are a brilliant turquoise blue with black on the lores, throat, back, tail and wings, though the tail and wings are boldly edged with blue. Females are a bright lime green with a pale turquoise head, gray lores, a pale gray or whitish throat and a small turquoise patch on the shoulders, though that patch is not always visible. The black tail and wings are edged with lime green. For both genders, the eyes are red with a dark pupil and the legs and feet are a flesh pink hue.
  
  Juveniles are similar to adult females, though their overall markings are less distinct and the color may be duller.

Foods: Insects, fruit, nectar (See: Omnivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These birds prefer somewhat open forest habitats including forest edges, gardens and parks, generally in wet or more humid areas and where flowering plants are abundant and a relatively mature tree canopy is present.

They are found year-round from eastern Honduras through Central America and into South America, extending as far south as throughout Brazil as well as in eastern Peru, northern Bolivia and eastern Paraguay. Blue dacnises are also found on the island of Trinidad. Within their range, they may be seen as high as 4,000 feet in elevation, but are absent from the tallest mountain regions.

These birds do not migrate, but may be locally nomadic toward the best food sources and different seasons for flowering plants.

Vocalizations:

These birds have a very high pitched, squeaky "tsip" or "seeep" call note. Calls are usually given singly, but may be grouped together or repeated several at a time for a rudimentary song.

Behavior:

These birds are generally found in pairs or small groups, and they will form mixed foraging flocks with similar species, including honeycreepers, bananaquits and other dacnis species, especially after the breeding season. While foraging, they are acrobatic and will seek out damaged foliage that may indicate high insect populations, and they may dangle beneath leaves or hang upside down to glean insects from below.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds that mate after a male attracts a female by bowing to show her his bright coloration and tempting her with gifts of food. The pair then works together to build a bulky, cup-shaped nest from lichens, moss and small twigs, lining it with plant fibers and seed down. The nest is positioned in a tree usually 20-30 feet above the ground.

The eggs are whitish with brown or gray splotches, and there are 2-3 eggs in each brood. The female incubates the eggs for 13-14 days while the male brings food to the nest for her. After the altricial young hatch, both parents feed and care for the young birds for 15-16 days until the hatchlings are ready to leave the nest. Only one brood is raised each year, and juvenile birds often remain in the family flock for several seasons.

Attracting Blue Dacnises:

These birds will readily visit backyards where flowering plants and insects are abundant, particularly where bromeliads are profuse and where there is suitable vegetation for them to feel secure. They may visit nectar feeders if perches are available while drinking, and they come to bananas offered in tray or platform feeders.

Conservation:

Because of its widespread range, the blue dacnis is not considered threatened or endangered, but it can be vulnerable to development that results in habitat loss. Overuse or irresponsible application of pesticides can also threaten the bird's critical food sources.

Similar Birds:

• Scarlet-Thighed Dacnis (Dacnis venusta)
• Black-Faced Dacnis (Dacnis lineata)
• Red-Legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)
• Purple Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus)
• Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis)
• Turquoise Cotinga (Cotinga ridgwayi)

Photo – Blue Dacnis – Male © Ben Tavener
Photo – Blue Dacnis – Female © Lee Hunter