The Masked Flowerpiercer belongs to the tanager family. It is predominantly found in the Andean region of South America. This bird thrives in humid montane forests and scrubs, inhabiting altitudes between approximately 6,600 and 11,500 feet​​​​. Adult Masked Flowerpiercers grow to about 6 inches in length. The males are particularly striking, with deep ultramarine blue plumage and a distinctive dark mask. Their beaks are large, black, and upturned, featuring a characteristic hook on the tip of the upper mandible, which is used to slice open the bases of flowers to access nectar. Photographed in the western Andes mountain range of Colombia (Cordillera Occidental).