The saffron-crowned tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae.

It is an average-sized species of tanager with a blue-green body and yellow head with a black forecrown, lores, orbital area, and chin.

The saffron-crowned tanager was first described as Callospiza xanthocephala by Johann Tschudi in 1844 based on a specimen from Peru.

[3] Saffron-crowned tanager is the official common name designated by the International Ornithologists' Union.

This placement is supported by a 2004 study of mitochondrial DNA by Kevin Burns and Kazuya Naoki.

The forecrown, lores, orbital area (region around the eyes), and chin are black, while the rest of the head is yellow, with an orange tinge to the crown.

The species shows a preference for areas with mossy trees and inhabits elevations between 1,000–2,700 m (3,300–8,900 ft).

The only known nest was found in November and was placed at a height of 12 m (39 ft) in moss on the underside of the lowest branch of a tree, containing a clutch of two eggs.

[6] The saffron-crowned tanager is listed as being a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the IUCN Red List due to its large range and lack of significant population decline.