Black-cheeked ant tanager

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Black-cheeked ant tanager
Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager - Rio Tigre - Costa Rica S4E9942 (26631235321).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Driophlox
Species:
D. atrimaxillaris
Binomial name
Driophlox atrimaxillaris
(Dwight & Griscom, 1924)
Habia atrimaxillaris map.svg

The black-cheeked ant tanager (Driophlox atrimaxillaris) is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica. [2] It was formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia .

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The original description of the black-cheeked ant tanager assigned it the binomial Phoenicothraupis atrimaxillaris and placed it in family Thraupidae, the "true" tanagers. Genus Habia was later shown to have priority so the species was renamed to its current binomial. In the early 2000s, DNA analysis revealed that all the members of Habia were more closely related to the cardinals, so they were moved to family Cardinalidae. [3]

Description

Based on a small number of specimens, the black-cheeked ant tanager is 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) long and weighs 36.2 to 48.9 g (1.28 to 1.72 oz). The male's upper parts are dark gray with a red tinge, and it has a (usually invisible) orange-red crest. The face has a diffuse black "mask". The throat is bright salmon orange that transitions through darker salmon to dark gray with a pink tinge on the belly. The female is similar but duller and its crest is smaller. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The black-cheeked ant tanager is found only on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula and the adjoining eastern shore of Golfo Dulce. (One wandering individual was captured more than 70 km (43 mi) inland.) It inhabits well-developed understorey in lowland forest, riparian woodlands, and older secondary forest. It stays in the forest interior and shuns edges and open habitat. In elevation it ranges up to approximately 300 m (980 ft). [3]

Behavior

Feeding

The black-cheeked ant tanager is primarily insectivorous, though it also eats fruits and small vertebrates. [3]

Breeding

The black-cheeked ant tanager has been documented nesting between January and March. It builds an open cup nest fairly low in understorey vegetation. All known clutches were of two eggs. The species appears to nest cooperatively, as three adults have been documented attending nestlings. [3]

Vocalization

The black-cheeked ant tanager's dawn song has been variously described as "whistled phrases...chonk TWEEah, chonk TWEEah" and a "clear, mellow, whistled tu-see, tu-see or tu-seeur tu-swee tu-seeur" . It has a variety of calls such as and . [3]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the black-cheeked ant tanager as near threatened "because of its small range which is mostly confined to two protected areas." [1] "The primary threat to [the species] is ongoing fragmentation of lowland forest". [3]

Related Research Articles

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The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropical birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-crowned ant tanager</span> Species of bird

The red-crowned ant tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird from tropical America. It is the only species now placed in the genus Habia. This species was long placed with the tanagers (Thraupidae), but it is actually closer to the cardinals (Cardinalidae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-capped cardinal</span> Species of bird

The red-capped cardinal is a small species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is found in South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-throated ant tanager</span> Species of bird

The red-throated ant tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird. This species is a resident breeder on the Caribbean slopes from southeastern Mexico to eastern Panama. It was formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia. It was usually considered an aberrant kind of tanager and placed in the Thraupidae, but is actually closer to the cardinals (Cardinalidae). Consequently, it can be argued that referring to the members of this genus as ant tanagers is misleading, but no other common name has gained usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-faced grosbeak</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-hooded tanager</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver-throated tanager</span> Species of bird from South America

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peg-billed finch</span> Species of bird

The peg-billed finch is a passerine bird endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Despite its name, it is not a true finch, but now recognized as a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae), after being long placed in the Emberizidae. It is the only member of the genus Acanthidops. The scientific name commemorates the American ornithologist Spencer Fullerton Baird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hepatic tanager</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-black grosbeak</span> Species of songbird

The blue-black grosbeak is a species of songbird in the family Cardinalidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glaucous-blue grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The glaucous-blue grosbeak, also known as the indigo grosbeak, is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmiol's tanager</span> Species of bird

Carmiol's tanager is a species of bird in the cardinal family Cardinalidae that is found in Central America from Nicaragua southwards to northwest Colombia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the yellow-lored tanager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lemon-spectacled tanager</span> Species of bird

The lemon-spectacled tanager is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and heavily degraded former forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochre-breasted tanager</span> Species of bird

The ochre-breasted tanager is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. As a fairly common species with a stable population, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated this bird as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested ant tanager</span> Species of bird

The crested ant tanager is a bird in the family Cardinalidae that is endemic to Colombia. It was formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sooty ant tanager</span> Species of bird

The sooty ant tanager is a species of bird in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It was formerly placed with the true tanagers in the family Thraupidae and was assigned to the genus Habia with the red-crowned ant tanager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visayan babbler</span> Species of bird

The Visayan babbler also known as the Visayan Black-crowned Babbler. is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is found on Samar, Leyte and Bohol. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It was formerly conspecific to the northern population of the Calabarzon black-crowned babbler but has since been split as a species due to differences in its yellowish throat and whiter belly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruby-crowned tanager</span> Species of bird

The ruby-crowned tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae found in the southern areas of Brazil and the Atlantic Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerald tanager</span> Species of bird from South America

The emerald tanager is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. Described by the English ornithologists PL Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1869, it is a medium-sized species that has a length of 10.6–13 cm (4.2–5.1 in) and a mass of 18–20.5 g (0.63–0.72 oz). It can be identified by its bright green plumage, with black streaking on the back and wings, and a black auricular patch and beak. It also has yellow on the crown and rump. The species shows slight sexual dimorphism, with the females being duller and having yellow-green in place of yellow on the head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabarzon babbler</span> Species of bird found in the Philippines

The Calabarzon babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found in the island of Luzon. Contrary to its name, it is also found outside the Calabarzon region where it also inhabits Central Luzon, Bicol Peninsula and Catanduanes. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It previously was considered a subspecies of the black-crowned babbler.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2022). "Habia atrimaxillaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T22722430A209029834. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T22722430A209029834.en .
  2. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2024). "Cardinals, grosbeaks and 'tanager' allies". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pott, C., D. J. Lebbin, E. Jones, and A. Gallo (2020). Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager (Habia atrimaxillaris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bcatan1.01 retrieved May 14, 2021