I usually feature brightly-colored bird specimens in these articles, but just because the azure-shouldered tanager is more muted than some of the other blue birds I've highlighted, doesn't mean it's any less beautiful.
In fact, I kind of adore the dusty, purply blue hue in some of these photos enough to consider matching it for a paint color in my home.
The azure-shouldered tanager is native to Brazil, particularly along the ocean coast. They live in humid forests.
But the sayaca ones are more grayish and their wings aren't so bright in comparison to their bodies.
Sadly, habitat loss is making these pretty birds a rarer sight.
Azure-shouldered tanagers are currently listed as Near Threatened.
Much of their habitat loss is due to urban sprawl and the clearcutting of forests to make room for agriculture and development.
h/t: eBird, IUCN Red List
