Male and female blue-gray tanager adults appear alike. They have pale gray throats, heads, and underparts. On the flanks, soft gray turns blue. Rumρ and tail are brighter blue, whereas back is darker blue-gray. The wings are vivid sky-blue with darker main coverts and shoulders. Young people look duller and grayer.

Silver-beaked tanager males are velvety black with dark maroon tints. Lower underparts are blackish-maroon, throat and chest rich scarlet. The large silver-white lower jaw is noticeable.

Females are dark reddish-brown above and lighter, duller below. Females have a grayish to dull silver lower mandible that is less noticeable than males.

Both species averaging 6 inches (15 centimeters) length and 1 ounce, or 28 grams.

Blue-gray tanagers inhabit Central Mexico, the Brazilian Amazon, and Trinidad and Tobago. Lima and Miami have blue-gray tanagers. Tree margins and clearings are their favorite semi-open spaces. This species thrives around humans and bird feeds.

Silver-beaked tanagers inhabit northern South America. They like bushy areas and woodland edges near water.

In captivity, blue-gray and silver-beaked tanagers can live up to 12 and 17 years, respectively.

They eat nectar, insects, and fruit in the wild. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo feeds them fruit, eggs, mealworms, maize grubs, wax worms, and crickets.

The blue-gray tanager lives in pairs but sometimes roosts in flocks. Partners build territories and perform aerial exhibitions. These lively birds can figҺt each other and other birds.

Some silver-beaked tanagers live in groups of 30 or more and feed at fruiting trees. Silver-beaked tanagers join mixed-species flocks.

Silver-beaked tanagers reproduce between one and two years old in the wild. Nesting low to 24 feet (7.3 meters). The female weaves a dense nest of decaying leaves and threads. Most days, two eggs are deposited.

Eggs are blue to greenish-blue with blackish-brown spots around the big end. Females incubate eggs for 12 days. The 12–14-day-old chicks are fed by both parents. Variable breeding season, no territorial defense. Captive silver-beaked tanagers have produced offspring from 1 to 11 years old.

Blue-grays nest 10–66 feet (3–20 meters) above. Nests are frequently hidden in small tree forks, tall shrubs, or palm fronds. Each sеx builds the nest, but the female is more active. Some blue-grays use other birds’ nests. They alter larger bird nests or steаl smaller ones.

Females lay one to three (typically two) eggs on consecutive days and incubate them for 12–14 days. Grayish-blue or grayish-green eggs with brown spots are typical. The male and female feed the 17–18-day-old nestlings. Seasons usually produce two clutches. Range breeding seasons vary, but most occur between March and September.