Masked crimson tanager

Last updated

Masked crimson tanager
Ramphocelus nigrogularis, Masked Crimson Tanager.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Ramphocelus
Species:
R. nigrogularis
Binomial name
Ramphocelus nigrogularis
(Spix, 1825)
Ramphocelus nigrogularis map.svg
Synonyms [2]
  • Tanagra nigrogularisSpix
  • Tanagra ignescensLess.
  • Ramphopis ignescensLess.
  • Ramphocelus ignescensLafr.
  • Ramphopis nigrogularisSw., Gray

The masked crimson tanager (Ramphocelus nigrogularis) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical swamps and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.

Contents

The masked crimson tanager was first described by German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix in 1825. Its species name is derived from the Latin words niger "black", and gularis "throated". It is one of nine species of brightly coloured tanagers of the genus Ramphocelus . Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates its closest relative is the crimson-backed tanager (R. dimidiatus), and the two split around 800,000 years ago. [3]

Measuring 18 to 19 cm (7–7.5 in) in length, the adult male has a black face, wings, mantle, belly and tail, and is a bright red elsewhere in its plumage. The bill has a silver sheen. [4] The female resembles the male but has a brownish belly and duller plumage overall, [5] while the juvenile is duller still. [4] It resembles the vermilion tanager (Calochaetes coccineus) but the latter lives at higher altitudes. [6]

The masked crimson tanager makes a high-pitched single note variously transcribed as tchlink or "tink", and a simple melody often sung at dawn. [4] [5]

The masked crimson tanager is found across Amazonia and is abundant. It prefers to dwell near bodies of water such as lakes, swamps or rivers, generally at altitudes below 600 m (2000 ft). [5] Masked crimson tanagers move about in troops of 10 to 12 birds. [4] The species can form mixed species flocks with the silver-beaked tanager (Ramphocelus carbo). [5] It is frugivorous (fruit-eating).[ citation needed ]

Behavior

The masked crimson tanager has been speculated to engage in reverse sexual dominance behavior similar to their congener pair, the silver-beaked tanager. The masked crimson tanagers, who belong to the passerine bird order exhibit this behavior similar to that of their cousin. However, there is no observable evidence to support the hypothesis that the masked crimson tanager are among the rare and unexplained phenomenon of reverse sexual dominance. Under normal circumstances, passerine species of birds exemplify a default hierarchy of dominance wherein larger, heavier birds tend to dominate the smaller, lighter birds and males tend to dominate females. Between masked crimson tanagers and the silver-beaked tanager, individuals engage in a form of interference competition, also known as competition by resource defense, when partitioning resource-rich habitats. The masked crimson tanager prefer to inhabit sites close to or around oxbow lakes, a common geographical feature of their native Amazon biome. They demonstrate aggression while defending the more productive areas around the lakes, causing the silver-beaked tanager to occupy the riparian forest. The masked crimson tanagers are competitively superior and dominate most interspecies interactions with their cousin. [7]

Breeding

The masked crimson tanager breeds in between the dry and wet seasons of the seasonal tropics that they occupy. This species of tanager participates in cooperative breeding, which involves the communal care and protection of the offspring. For the masked crimson tanager, as well as other lake-margin bird species, cooperative breeding may be favored due to high population density and scarcity of habitable space. [8]

In neotropical forests, the masked crimson tanager congregates in mixed flocks much like those seen in flycatchers and vireos. The degree to which the masked crimson tanager forms mixed flocks correlates with the relative extent to which broad-leafed canopy make up the composition of the neotropical forest. [9]

Feeding

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. [10]

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. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cedar waxwing</span> Species of bird

The cedar waxwing is a member of the family Bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds. It is a medium-sized, mostly brown, gray, and yellow. Some of the wing feathers have red tips, the resemblance of which to sealing wax gives these birds their common name. It is a native of North and Central America, breeding in open wooded areas in southern Canada and wintering in the southern half of the United States, Central America, and the far northwest of South America. Its diet includes cedar cones, fruit, holly berries, and insects. The cedar waxwing is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardinalidae</span> Bird family

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.

<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">Blue-black grassquit</span> Species of bird

The blue-black grassquit is a small Neotropical bird in the tanager family, Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Volatinia. It is a common and widespread bird that breeds from southern Mexico through Central America, and South America as far as northern Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay, and in Trinidad and Tobago. A male was also observed in Graham County, Arizona on July 15 and July 17, 2023.

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

The silver-beaked tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in South America from eastern Colombia and Venezuela south to Paraguay and central Brazil, Perú and on Trinidad. It is common and conspicuous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mixed-species foraging flock</span> Swarming behaviour of birds when foraging

A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species that join each other and move together while foraging. These are different from feeding aggregations, which are congregations of several species of bird at areas of high food availability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toucan barbet</span> Species of bird

The toucan barbet is a barbet native to western Ecuador and Colombia. Along with the prong-billed barbet, it forms the family Semnornithidae, and is closely related to the toucans. It is a medium-sized barbet with a robust yellow bill. It has striking plumage, having a black head with grey throat and nape, red breast and upper belly, yellow lower belly and grey wings and tail.

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

The silver-throated tanager is a species of passerine bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and northeastern Peru. It inhabits mossy forests, montane evergreen forests, tropical lowland evergreen forests and forest edges, along with tall secondary forests and disturbed habitat with remnant trees and forest. It is 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long and weighs 22 grams (0.78 oz) on average, and shows slight sexual dimorphism, with duller female plumage. Adult males are mainly bright yellow, with a silvery-white throat bordered above with a black stripe on the cheeks, black streaking on the back, and green edges to the wings and tail. Juveniles are duller and greener.

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

Cherrie's tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. This bird was formerly known as the scarlet-rumped tanager, but was split as a separate species from the Caribbean form, which was itself renamed as Passerini's tanager, Ramphocelus passerinii. While most authorities had accepted this split, there were notable exceptions. It was lumped back into the Scarlet-rumped Tanager in 2018.

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

The fawn-breasted tanager is a species of tanager with a blue head and yellow breast. It occurs in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the highlands of northeastern Argentina, south Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masked flowerpiercer</span> Species of bird


The masked flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the tanager family, Thraupidae. It is found in humid montane forest and scrub in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Flowerpiercers got their name from the fact that they have a sharp hook on the tip of their upper mandible which they use to slice open the base of flowers to get at the nectar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-throated euphonia</span> Species of songbird

The yellow-throated euphonia is a species of songbird in the family Fringillidae. It is found in southeastern Mexico and throughout Central America with its range stretching from Belize south to western Panama. It inhabits primarily both humid and dry regions where it prefers the forest edge, open woodland, and shaded plantations. It has two subspecies, the nominate subspecies Euphonia hirundinaceahirundinacea and Euphonia hirundinacea gnatho. This finch is a small bird with pointed wings and a short bill and short tail. Males of this species have dark glossy blue-black upperparts excluding a yellow forecrown, and bright yellow underparts, while females have olive green upperparts and whitish-gray breast and lower parts. It has a shrill song that alternates between high-pitched and moderately pitched and appears to be able to mimic some calls of other birds.

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

The crimson-backed tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela, and introduced to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. A nickname in Panama is sangre de toro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-capped tanager</span> South american bird species

The black-capped tanager is one of the many species of Neotropical bird in the family Thraupidae. It lives in mountains of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela year-round. This bird can often be found in open landscapes, alone or in pairs, hiding under branches of trees and bushes. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.

<i>Semnornis</i> Genus of birds

The toucan-barbets are the small bird genus Semnornis. This was often included in the paraphyletic barbets but recently usually considered a distinct family Semnornithidae; alternatively, all barbets might be moved to the toucan family Ramphastidae as a subfamily, Semnornithinae. It contains only two species, the toucan barbet and the prong-billed barbet.

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

Toucans are Neotropical members of the near passerine bird family Ramphastidae. The Ramphastidae are most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and over 40 different species.

<i>Ramphocelus</i> Genus of birds

Ramphocelus is a Neotropical genus of birds of the tanager family. They have enlarged shiny whitish or bluish-grey lower mandibles, which are pointed upwards in display. However, this is greatly reduced in the females of most species. Males are black and red, orange or yellow, while females resemble a duller version of the males, or are brownish or greyish combined with dull red, orange or yellowish.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2018). "Ramphocelus nigrogularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22722497A132154155. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22722497A132154155.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Philip Lutley Sclater: Catalogue of the Birds of the British Museum, vol. XI, 1886, p. 171
  3. Burns, Kevin J.; Racicot, Rachel A. (2009). "Molecular phylogenetics of a clade of lowland tanagers: implications for avian participation in the great American interchange" (PDF). Auk. 126 (3): 635–48. doi:10.1525/auk.2009.08195. S2CID   32907534. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Robert S. Ridgely; Guy Tudor (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press. p. 614. ISBN   978-0-292-71979-8.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Schulenberg, Thomas S. (2007). Birds of Peru. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. 542–43. ISBN   978-0-691-13023-1.
  6. Steven L. Hilty; Bill Brown (1986). A guide to the birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 624. ISBN   0-691-08372-X.
  7. Lebbin, Daniel J. (2008). "AGGRESSIVE INTERACTIONS AND PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR REVERSED SEXUAL DOMINANCE IN RAMPHOCELUS TANAGERS" (PDF). Ornitologia Neotropical (19): 329–334.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. Robinson, Scott K. (1997). "Birds of a Peruvian Oxbow Lake: Populations, Resources, Predation, and Social Behavior". Ornithological Monographs. 48 (Studies in Neotropical Ornithology Honoring Ted Parker): 613–639. doi:10.2307/40157558. JSTOR   40157558.
  9. Angehr, George R.; Aucca, Constantino; Christian, Daniel G.; Pequeño, Tatiana; Siegel, James (2001). "Structure and Composition of the Bird Communities of the Lower Urubamba Region, Peru". Urubamba: The Biodiversity of a Peruvian Rainforest. p. 163.
  10. Eisenmann, Eugene (1961). "Favorite Foods of Neotropical Birds: Flying Termites and Cecropia Catkins" (PDF). The Auk. 78 (4): 636–638. doi:10.2307/4082198. JSTOR   4082198.
  11. Cotton, Peter A. (2001). "The Behavior and Interactions of Birds Visiting Erythrina fusca Flowers in the Colombian Amazon". Biotropica. 33 (4): 662–669. doi:10.1646/0006-3606(2001)033[0662:tbaiob]2.0.co;2. JSTOR   3593168.

    "Masked crimson tanager media". Internet Bird Collection .