Like most tanagers, masked crimson tanagers are mainly frugivorous, supplementing their fruit diets with small insects such as flying termites.
 Their insectivorous tendency is driven by the periodic cycle of the breeding of termites, which produce winged males and females when sexually active.
 These termites are richer in nutrients than normal wood termites and therefore it may become more ecologically sound for the masked crimson tanager to feed on these insects to supplement their existing diets.

Masked crimson tanagers may also feed on the nectar of flowers as part of their diet.
They have not been observed opening flowers themselves, only feeding on nectar from flowers already been opened by some other species of bird or insect.
They feed on flowers of Erythrina fusca plants without damaging them, while simultaneously contacting the anthers of the flowers with their heads, thus making them effective pollinators.
Like most tanagers, masked crimson tanagers are mainly frugivorous, supplementing their fruit diets with small insects such as flying termites.  Their insectivorous tendency is driven by the periodic cycle of the breeding of termites, which produce winged males and females when sexually active.  These termites are richer in nutrients than normal wood termites and therefore it may become more ecologically sound for the masked crimson tanager to feed on these insects to supplement their existing diets.
Masked crimson tanagers may also feed on the nectar of flowers as part of their diet. They have not been observed opening flowers themselves, only feeding on nectar from flowers already been opened by some other species of bird or insect. They feed on flowers of Erythrina fusca plants without damaging them, while simultaneously contacting the anthers of the flowers with their heads, thus making them effective pollinators.
Masked crimson tanager