tanagers – today's bird

Beryl-spangled Tanager (Tangara nigroviridis; literally ‘Black-and-green Tanager’)

Golden-naped Tanager (Tangara ruficervix; literally ‘Red-necked Tanager’)

Golden Tanager (Tangara arthus; a name I cannot translate)

Spotted tanager (Tangara punctatus; literally ‘Dotted/pointed tanager’)

Green-and-gold Tanager (Tangara schrankii; litearlly ‘Schrank’s tanager’. Who is Schrank? I don’t know)

The Many Faces of Tangara.

Tanagers (Family Thraupidae) represent a taxonomically-confused group of colorful granivorous and frugivorous birds largely found in the Neotropics (In fact, nowadays I supposed we can say they’re exclusively found in the Neotropics; such American species as summer, Western, hepatic, and scarlet tanager (Genus Piranga) have since been relegated to a different family altogether). While the scientific community is not in agreement on what a tanager exactly is, here’s what we do know:

Tanagers– as they are currently classified– represent 12% of all Neotropical birds and are the second largest taxonomic family currently described.

Many tanagers make their living as part of mixed-species flocks, sharing and defending a territory with numerous other birds.

While these birds are visually quite impressive, most tanagers are vocally disappointing, mainly employing chips, cheeps, and the occasional trill in their vocal repertoire.

Pictured are all members of the fabulous Genus Tangara, with some more information embedded in the caption.

Source: Burns et al. 2014