Hepatic tanager

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hepatic tanager
male in Arizona
female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Piranga
Species:
P. hepatica
Binomial name
Piranga hepatica
(Swainson, 1827)

The hepatic tanager (Piranga hepatica) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of the genus Piranga are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae).

Etymology and taxonomy[edit]

The common name hepatic means "liver-coloured", namely, brownish-red.[2][3]

Description[edit]

The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.[4][5]

The brick-red tangerine is a strongly built songbird up to 20 cm long with a short and quite thick beak and long wings and tail. The male is greyish brick-red above, reddish below with greyish ear-coverts. The female is olive yellow above, yellowish below with soot colored ear coverts. Both sexes have dark beaks and dark legs. The song is a three to four second long beautiful and thrush-like series, but also reminiscent of a black-capped cardinal. The most common sound is rendered in English literature as a clipped "tchup", while in flight it sometimes emits a soft, scream-like "wenk".

Habitat[edit]

Brick red cardinal is found in open mountain forests with pine or pine and oak. There it is seen jumping slowly upwards in trees and bushes in search of food, but can also catch flying insects by lunging. It is often found in pairs or small groups, probably families. The nest is placed in a cleft far out on a branch, about 15 to 30 meters above the ground. There she lays three to five eggs.[6]

Behavior[edit]

The habits of the hepatic tanager are similar to those of the western tanager.[3]

Its call is a low, dry chup like the hermit thrush. Its song is clearer than Thraupidae tanagers and far more similar to the song of the black-headed grosbeak, another member of the Cardinalidae. The flight call is a husky and rising weet.[3]

Habitat[edit]

It looks for food in the foliage of trees, moving slowly and methodically; different individuals use different strategies. In summer, the northern form largely eats insects, spiders and some fruit. In Mexico, it has been observed to eat nectar. From Oaxaca south, it follows swarms of army ants.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2017). "Piranga flava". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T103811599A119471621. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T103811599A119471621.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "hepatic". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
    "(adj.) Liver-coloured, dark brownish-red; as in hepatic aloes, hepatic tanager."
  3. ^ a b c Sibley, David (2003). The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. ISBN 0-679-45121-8.
  4. ^ Eddleman, William R. (2002). Poole, A. (ed.). "Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava)". The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012.
  5. ^ Gill, Frank & Donsker, David (eds.). "IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b Hepatic Tanager @ allaboutbirds.org

External links[edit]


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hepatic_tanager&oldid=1220920249"