| Hepatic tanager | |
|---|---|
 | |
| male in Arizona | |
 | |
| female | |
Scientific 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).
The common name hepatic means "liver-coloured", namely, brownish-red. [2] [3]
The IOC World Bird List recognises five subspecies of Piranga hepatica, found in North and Central America. [4]
Other taxonomic authorities don't recognise Piranga hepatica as a distinct species and include it in Piranga flava, a more broadly defined hepatic tanager, with a range from the United States to Argentina. [5] [6] These authorities recognise three subspecies groups, which are recognised as three species by the IOC. [4] According to this taxonomy the three subspecies groups and their subspecies are as follows: [5] [6]
The IUCN follows another taxonomy, recognising Piranga hepatica (hepatic tanager) and Piranga flava (red tanager), with the former including the subspecies includes in the hepatica and lutea groups. [8]
The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family. [7] [9]
The hepatic tanager 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".
Hepatic tanager is found in open mountain forests with pine or pine and oak. [7] 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. [10]
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]
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. [10]
Cardinalidae is a family of New World-endemic passerine birds that consists of cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings. It also includes several other genera such as the tanager-like Piranga and the warbler-like Granatellus. Membership of this family is not easily defined by a single or even a set of physical characteristics, but instead by molecular work. Among songbirds, they range from average-sized to relatively large, and have stout features, some species with large, heavy bills.
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.
The summer tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.
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).
The flame-colored tanager, formerly known as the stripe-backed tanager, is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found from Mexico throughout Central America to northern Panama and occasionally in the United States; four subspecies are recognized. The flame-colored tanager is 18 to 19 cm long, the male having predominantly red-orange while the female is more yellowish orange.
The black-backed grosbeak is a bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. They are often kept as cagebirds.
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.
The blue-black grosbeak is a species of songbird in the family Cardinalidae.
The yellow-shouldered grosbeak is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of its genus Parkerthraustes. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The golden grosbeak, also known as golden-bellied grosbeak or southern yellow grosbeak, is a species of grosbeak in the family Cardinalidae. It is similar to, and has sometimes been considered conspecific with, the yellow grosbeak.
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.
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.
The red-headed tanager is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks, endemic to Mexico. Comprising two subspecies, it is around 15 cm (5.9 in) long. Males have predominantly yellow-olive plumage with a red head and throat and females have yellow forecrowns.
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.
The rose-throated tanager is a medium-sized songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. Endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula in Central America, it is found in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. The male has greyish plumage with a deep rose throat and crown, while the female is similar but for a yellow crown and throat.
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.
The yellow-lored tanager, also known as the olive tanager, is a species of bird in the cardinal family Cardinalidae that is found in South America along the eastern foothills of the Andes from southern Colombia to western Bolivia. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with Carmiol's tanager of Central America.
The red tanager is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae.
The tooth-billed tanager is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae.
Driophlox is a genus of passerine birds in the family Cardinalidae. The four species placed in this genus were formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia.
