Crested ant tanager

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Crested ant tanager
Crested Ant Tanager (Habia cristata) (8079775659).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Habia
Species:
H. cristata
Binomial name
Habia cristata
(Lawrence, 1875)
Habia cristata map.svg

The crested ant tanager (Habia cristata) is a bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is endemic to Colombia. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The crested ant tanager was originally placed in family Thraupidae, the "true" tanagers. 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]

The crested ant tanager is monotypic. [2]

Description

The crested ant tanager is approximately 19 cm (7.5 in) long. The male's head is dusky red with a prominent scarlet crest. The rest of the upper parts fade from red on the shoulders through dark crimson to brownish red at the rump. The throat and chest are bright red and the rest of the underparts gray, some with a red tinge. The female is similar though duller and with less gray, and its crest is smaller. The immature does not have a crest; it is reddish brown above and cinnamon below. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The crested ant tanager is found on both slopes of Colombia's Western Andes, from Antioquia Department south to Cerro Munchique in Cauca Department, and on both slopes of the Central Andes from Antioquia to Tolima Department. It inhabits the understorey of humid mid-level and montane forest. It favors dense vegetation, especially along streams, around openings such as landslides, and in ravines. It is occasionally found in more open areas. In elevation it ranges from 700 to 2,000 m (2,300 to 6,600 ft). [3]

Behavior

Feeding

The crested ant-tanager's diet is mostly insects and other arthropods, but it also eats palm seeds and other fruits. It forages through the undergrowth in pairs or small groups and sometimes sallies out to catch flying insects. Groups have been observed following army ant swarms. [3]

Breeding

One crested ant-tanager was observed carrying nesting material in a ravine in June; it was accompanied by two others. No other information on its breeding phenology has been published. [3]

Vocalization

The crested ant-tanager's dawn song is repeated "che'ik" notes . It mobs with a "loud, shrill 'Chi-veek!'" . [3]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the crested ant-tanager as being of Least Concern. [1] It occurs in several protected areas, but "numbers are undoubtedly declining; it has experienced considerable range contraction and fragmentation because of deforestation, and should probably be regarded as being at risk in the near future." [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardinal (bird)</span> Bird family

Cardinalidae is a family of New World-endemic passerine birds that consists of cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings. It also includes several birds such as the tanager-like Piranga and the warbler-like Granatellus. As such, membership of this group is not easily defined by a single or even a set of physical characteristics, but instead by molecular work. In general they are medium to large songbirds with stout features, some with large heavy bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanager</span> Family of birds

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. The genus Habia was long placed with the tanagers (Thraupidae), but it 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">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 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.

<i>Habia</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Ant tanagers are birds of the genus Habia. These are long-tailed and strong billed birds.

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

The hepatic tanager 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). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semicollared hawk</span> Species of bird

The semicollared hawk is a rare bird of prey species in the family Accipitridae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is potentially being affected by habitat loss.

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

The gold-ringed tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, endemic to Colombia. It is a plump, relatively short-tailed Tanager with a distinctive gold ring around its face. It inhabits a narrow band of high-altitude cloud forest on the slopes of the western cordillera of the Andes, where it survives on a diet of fruit and insects. The bird is found in small numbers within a limited geographical area, and much of its breeding biology has yet to be described. It is considered a vulnerable species, threatened by habitat loss.

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

The olive tanager, also known as Carmiol's tanager, is a species of bird traditionally placed in the family Thraupidae (tanagers), though molecular evidence indicates it should be placed in Cardinalidae (cardinals). This bird's natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests 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">Scarlet-and-white tanager</span> Species of bird from South America

The scarlet-and-white tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia and northern Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. The male is highly distinctive and has bright scarlet upperparts, darker red wings and undertail coverts, and white underparts with a scarlet median stripe running down the throat and belly. Females are patterned like the males, but are olive-brown instead of scarlet.

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

The black-cheeked ant tanager is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.

<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); formerly, it was placed with the true tanagers in the family Thraupidae.

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

The dusky-faced tanager is a species of bird in the family Mitrospingidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama.

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

The red-crested cardinal is a songbird, the species belonging to the family of tanagers (Thraupidae). Notwithstanding its similar name, this bird is not closely related to the true cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It is sometimes known as the Brazilian cardinal.

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


The white-winged tanager is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found from Mexico, through Central America, across northern South America and as far south as Bolivia.

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


The red-hooded tanager, is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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

The flame-crested tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Ten subspecies are currently recognized.

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

The flame-faced tanager is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is endemic to South America and is found in the eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a distinctive-looking species with black and opalescent green upperparts, opalescent green and buff underparts, and a deep red and yellow face. The subspecies lunigera lacks the deep red on the face, which is replaced with orangish-red.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farallones de Cali</span> Mountains in Colombia

Farallones de Cali is a cluster of mountains in the West Andes of Colombia. It is located west of the city of Cali and gives rise to many of the rivers that provide water and electricity to Cali. The PNN Farallones de Cali encompasses 150,000 ha (580 sq mi) in the mountains as well as much of the Pacific slope and is an area of very high biodiversity. The average temperature ranges from 25 °C (77 °F) in the tropical foothills to 5 °C (41 °F) in the páramo. In this territory are located the district of Pichinde, Andes and Leonera, and two villages Penas Blancas and Lomas de la Cajita.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Crested Ant-Tanager Habia cristata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (January 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.1)" . Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hilty, S. (2020). Crested Ant-Tanager (Habia cristata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.cratan1.01 retrieved May 14, 2021