The Flame-faced Tanager has a bright orange forehead and cheeks which grade to yellow on the rest of the head. It has a black throat and ear patcher. The upperparts are black with a greenish-yellow shoulder patch and yellow and greenish-buff rump. The underparts are greenish-buff grading to rufous toward the belly. It is similar to the Saffron-crowned Tanager but is distinguished by having a black back and greenish buff underparts.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest. They are found at elevation from 300 to 2400 meters (~1,000 – 8,000 feet) above sea level – however, they are most common above 1000 m (~3,000 feet).
The Scrub Tanager is an almost endemic species for Colombia. It is very common and generally tolerates disturbed areas. The epithet vitriolina derives from the Latin vitreolus = crystal, referring to its bluish green colors.
It is measures around 18 centimeters, with an average weight of 41 gr. The male has a blue crown and nape; black cheeks with a small yellow spot under the eye; dark blue greyish back; golden yellow underside and black thighs.
It lives in mountain of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela year-round.
It is endemic to the interior of wet montane forests of the Occidental and Central Cordillera of Colombia. Mainly from 1300 to 2200 meters above sea level; however, some records indicate it can be found as low as 900 meters, especially in the Department of Cauca.
