Masked flowerpiercer

Last updated

Masked flowerpiercer
Masked flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea cyanea) Caldas.jpg
Diglossa cyanea cyanea, Colombia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Diglossa
Species:
D. cyanea
Binomial name
Diglossa cyanea
(Lafresnaye, 1840)
Diglossa cyanea map.svg
Synonyms [2]

Diglossopis cyanea Lafresnaye, 1840


The masked flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea) 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.

Contents

Description

The masked flowerpiercer grows to a length of about 15 cm (6 in). The adult male is deep ultramarine blue with a dark mask. The beak is large, black, and upturned, with a characteristic hook on the tip of the upper mandible. The iris is bright red. The female is similar in appearance but altogether duller. The juvenile has a reddish-brown iris. [3] At the northern end of its range, the song is a series of reedlike notes terminating in a twitter, while at the southern end, it is a jangling series of high-pitched notes ending with several lengthy "tseee" notes. [4] These differing songs suggest that the northerly and southerly populations may be different species. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The masked flowerpiercer is endemic to the Andes in South America where its range extends from Venezuela and Colombia, through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. It inhabits montane forest, cloud forest, secondary forest, scrubby woodland and forest edges, at altitudes between about 2,000 and 3,500 m (6,600 and 11,500 ft). [1]

Ecology

This bird is often seen in small groups or mixed flocks, foraging through the foliage for insects and fruit, and probing into flowers with its beak. [4] The flowers of the small tree Axinaea sclerophylla are pollinated by birds, the pollen being liberated in a puff when the stamens are manipulated. During a research study, the only bird seen visiting the flowers was the masked flowerpiercer, which proceeded to pull off and consume the stamens, one at a time. [6]

Breeding takes place between June and September in Colombia, [7] but in other parts of the range, juveniles have been seen at various times of year. [5] The nest is a cup-shaped construction, built in a bush, and composed of mosses and dry grasses and lined with feathers. The eggs are pale bluish-green blotched and speckled with reddish-brown. [7]

Status

The masked flowerpiercer is described as being common within its very wide range. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern" due to its stable population and lack of threats. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

The slaty flowerpiercer is a passerine bird endemic to the Talamancan montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flowerpiercer</span> Genus of birds

Diglossa is a genus in the family Thraupidae. They are commonly known as flowerpiercers because of their habit of piercing the base of flowers to access nectar that otherwise would be out of reach. This is done with their highly modified bill, which is typically upswept, with a hook at the tip. Most members of the genus Diglossa are found in highlands of South America, but two species are found in Central America.

<i>Diglossopis</i> Genus of birds

Diglossopis was a genus of blue flowerpiercers in the family Thraupidae. They are now usually placed in the genus Diglossa. They were formerly classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae. They are restricted to highland forest and woodland from Venezuela and Colombia, through Ecuador and Peru, to Bolivia.

<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">Montane foliage-gleaner</span> Species of bird found in South America

The montane foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

The white-sided flowerpiercer is a fairly common and widespread species of Flowerpiercer. Flowerpiercers are a genus of birds within the Tanager family Thraupidae, with specially adapted bills that enable them to pierce the sides of flower blossoms to access the nectar. The white-sided flowerpiercer is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.

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

The bluish flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in humid montane forest in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

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

The chestnut-bellied flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to Colombia.

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

The black flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae of the order Passeriformes. The family Thraupidae is known for tanagers and other very similar species of birds, but it is still facing classification issues. The black flowerpiercer is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

The glossy flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

The greater flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in the tepuis of western Guyana, eastern Venezuela and far northern Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland.

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

The rusty flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearled treerunner</span> Species of bird

The pearled treerunner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and possibly Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barred fruiteater</span> Species of bird

The barred fruiteater is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The population is stable, and they are considered common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted barbtail</span> Species of bird

The spotted barbtail is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

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

The masked crimson tanager 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped treehunter</span> Species of bird

The striped treehunter is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great thrush</span> Species of bird

The great thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It is considered as the largest thrush in South America. The great thrush's size distinguishes it from the several other uniform slaty-colored thrushes in its range. It inhabits subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and high-altitude shrubland, but can also make use of degraded forest and urban areas.

Axinaea sclerophylla is a species of tree in the family Melastomataceae. It is endemic to Ecuador, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Axinaea affinis is a species of tree in the family Melastomataceae. It is native to mountainous regions of the Andes in South America in Peru and Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2016). "Diglossa cyanea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22723715A94830099. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22723715A94830099.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. "Diglossa cyanea". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  3. Ascanio, David; Rodriguez, Gustavo; Restall, Robin (2017). Birds of Venezuela. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 474. ISBN   978-1-4729-2567-1.
  4. 1 2 Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press. p. 374. ISBN   978-0-292-71748-0.
  5. 1 2 Hilty, S. "Masked Flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  6. Dellinger, Agnes (2013). Floral Structure and Pollination Biology of Axinaea (Melastomataceae) (PDF) (Master of Science thesis). Universität Wien.
  7. 1 2 Hilty, Steven L.; Brown, Bill (1986). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 592. ISBN   0-691-08372-X.