The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in
the order Passeriformes.
Tanagers are restricted to the New World and mainly to the
tropics. About 60% of tanagers live in South America, and 30%
of these species live in the Andes. Most species are endemic
to a relatively
small area.
There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers,
but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently
in a state of flux.
As more of these birds are studied using modern molecular techniques
it is expected that some genera may be relocated elsewhere.
Already species in the genera Euphonia and Chlorophonia,
which were once considered part of the tanager family, are now
treated as
membersof Fringillidae,
in their own subfamily, Euphoniinae.
Likewise the genera Piranga (which includes the Scarlet
Tanager,
Summer Tanager, and Western Tanager), Chlorothraupis,
and Habia appear to be members of the Cardinal family,
and have been
reassigned to that family by the AOU.
Tanagers are small to medium-sized birds. The shortest-bodied
species, the White-eared Conebill, is 9 cm long and weighs 7
grams,
barely smaller than the Short-billed Honeycreeper. The longest,
the Magpie Tanager is 28 cm and weighs 76 grams . The heaviest
is the
White-capped Tanager which weighs 114 grams and measures about
24 cm. Both sexes are usually the same size and weight.
Tanagers are often brightly colored, but some species are black
and white. Birds in their first year are often duller or a different
color
altogether. Males are typically more brightly coloured than
females. They have short, rounded wings. The shape of the bill
seems to be
linked to the species' foraging habits.
Most tanagers live in pairs or in small groups of 3-5 individuals.
These groups may consist simply of parents and their offspring.
Birds may
also be seen in single species or mixed flocks. Many tanagers
are thought to have dull songs, though some are elaborate.
Tanagers are omnivorous, and their diet varies from genus to
genus. They have been seen eating fruits, seeds, nectar, flower
parts and insects.
Many pick insects off branches. Other species look for insects
on the underside of leaves. Yet others wait on branches until
they see a flying
insect and catch it in the air. Many of these particular species
inhabit the same areas, but these specializations alleviate
competition.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thraupidae
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Group 1
Mainly dull-coloured forms
Slaty
Finch, Haplospiza rustica
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a) Conebill and flowerpiercer group (10 genera)
(Also contains Haplospiza, Catamenia, Acanthidops, Diglossa,
Diglossopis, Phrygilus
and Sicalis traditionally in the Emberizidae)
This group despite having a rather varied bill morphology shows
marked plumage similarities. Most are largely grey, blue, or
black, and numerous have rufous on the underparts:
Genus Conirostrum typical conebills (10 species)
Genus Oreomanes Giant Conebill
Genus Xenodacnis Tit-like Dacnis
Genus Catamenia (3 species)
Genus Diglossa typical flowerpiercers (14 species)
Genus Diglossopis blue flowerpiercers (4 species)
Genus Haplospiza (2 species). Paraphyletic with 2 species
of sierra- finch
Phrygilus[6]
Genus Acanthidops Peg-billed Finch
Genus Phrygilus - sierra-finches (11 species)
Genus Sicalis yellow-finches (12 species). Paraphyletic
with Phrygilus |
Male
Variable Seedeater,
Sporophila corvina
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b) True seedeaters. (4 genera)
Traditionally placed in Emberizidae. These genera share a particular
foot-scute pattern which suggests
that they may form a monophyletic group:
Genus Sporophila typical seedeaters
(some 55 species)
Genus Oryzoborus (6 species)
Genus Dolospingus White-naped Seedeater
Genus Charitospiza Coal-crested Finch |
c) "Yellow-rumped" clade (3 genera)
Genus Heterospingus (2 species)
Genus Chrysothlypis (2 species)
Genus Hemithraupis (3 species) |
Brazilian
Tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius
|
d) "Crested" clade (8 genera)
(Also contains Coryphospingus & Volatinia traditionally
placed in the Emberizidae):
Genus Ramphocelus silver-billed
tanagers (9 species)
Brazilian
Tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius
Genus Lanio shrike-tanagers (4 species)
Genus Eucometis Gray-headed Tanager
Genus Tachyphonus (8 species)
Genus Trichothraupis Black-goggled Tanager
Genus Stephanophorus Diademed Tanager
Genus Coryphospingus (2 species)
Genus Volatinia Blue-black Grassquit |
e) "Blue Finch" clade. (2 genera)
Relationships within Thraupidae uncertain but may be related
to "Poospiza" clade (next)
Genus Porphyrospiza - Blue Finch
Genus? Phrygilus alaudinus- Band-tailed Sierra-finch |
Orange-headed
Tanager,
Thlypopsis sordida
Photo: Dario
Sanches
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f) The "Poospiza" clade (8 genera)
a diverse but close-knit group containing both warbler and finch-like
forms:
Genus Poospiza Warbling-finches
(15 species)
Genus Compsospiza - Mountain-finches (2 species)
Genus Cnemoscopus Gray-hooded Bush Tanager
Genus Hemispingus hemispinguses (12 species)
Genus Thlypopsis (6 species)
Genus Pyrrhocoma Chestnut-headed Tanager
Genus Cypsnagra White-rumped Tanager
Genus Nephelornis Pardusco |
g) Grass & Pampa-finches. (2 genera)
Relationships within Thraupidae uncertain but together form
a well-supported clade:
Genus Emberizoides (3 species)
Genus Embernagra (2 species) |
h) A miscellaneous and likely polyphyletic group of unplaced
"tanager-finches" (11 genera)
(which may or may not include the species called Tanager-finch)
whose members when studied will no doubt
be relocated to other clades:
Genus Melanodera (2 species)
Genus Rowettia Gough Island Finch
Genus Nesospiza (2 species)
Genus Gubernatrix Yellow Cardinal
Genus Idiopsar Short-tailed Finch
Genus Piezorhina Cinereous Finch
Genus Xenospingus Slender-billed Finch
Genus Incaspiza inca-finches (5 species)
Genus Coryphaspiza Black-masked Finch
Genus Rhodospingus Crimson-breasted Finch
Genus Donacospiza Long-tailed Reed-finch (may be
related to Poospiza |
i) Basal forms in group 1 (3 genera)
Genus Conothraupis (2 species)
Genus Orchesticus Brown Tanager
Genus Creurgops (2 species) |
Group 2
"Typical" colourful Tanagers
Green-headed
Tanager, Tangara seledon
Photo: Lars Falkdalen Lindahl
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a) Tropical canopy tanagers (2 genera)
Genus Thraupis - T. abbas & episcopus
at least
Genus Tangara (about 50 species) |
b) The "Tholospiza" (12 genera)
Darwin's finches, grassquits, atypical honeycreepers and some
seedeaters.
The finch-like forms in this clade were formerly classified
in the Emberizidae
Genus Coereba Bananaquit.
Formerly placed in own family Coerebidae
Genus Geospiza ground finches (6
species)
Genus Camarhynchus tree finches (5 species)
Genus Platyspiza - Vegetarian Finch
Genus Certhidea Warbler Finch
Genus Pinaroloxias Cocos Island Finch
Genus Melopyrrha Cuban Bullfinch
Genus Coereba Bananaquit.
Formerly placed in own family Coerebidae
Genus Tiaris grassquits (5 species) - polyphyletic
Genus Loxipasser Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
Genus Euneornis Orangequit
Genus Melanospiza St. Lucia Black Finch
Genus Loxigilla Antillean bullfinches (3 species)
- polyphyletic |
c) Mountain tanagers (9 genera)
Genus Cyanicterus Blue-backed Tanager
Genus Bangsia (5 species)
Genus Buthraupis (4 species)
Genus Chlorornis Grass-green Tanager
Genus Wetmorethraupis Orange-throated Tanager
Genus Anisognathus (5 species)
Genus Dubusia Buff-breasted Mountain-tanager
Genus Delothraupis Chestnut-bellied Mountain-tanager
Genus? Saltator rufiventris - Rufous-bellied 'Saltator'[21 |
d) Typical tanagers (3 genera)
Genus Thraupis - Thraupis bonariensis at
least belongs here
Genus Pipraeidea Fawn-breasted Tanager
Genus Iridosornis (5 species) |
e) Typical multicoloured tanagers (6 genera)
(includes Paroaria traditionally placed in either Emberizidae
or Cardinalidae)
Genus Diuca (2 species)
Genus Lophospingus (2 species)
Genus Neothraupis White-banded Tanager
Genus Cissopis Magpie Tanager
Genus Paroaria (56 species)
Genus Schistochlamys (2 species) |
Green
Honeycreeper, Chlorophanes spiza
|
f) Green & Golden-collared Honeycreepers (2 genera)
Genus Chlorophanes Green Honeycreeper
Genus Iridophanes Golden-collared Honeycreeper |
g) Typical honeycreepers and relatives (4 genera)
Genus Tersina Swallow Tanager
Genus Cyanerpes, the typical honeycreepers (4 species)
Genus Pseudodacnis Turquoise Dacnis-tanager
Genus Dacnis, the dacnises (8 species) |
h) Basal lineages within group 2 (5 genera)
Genus Chlorochrysa (3 species)
Genus Parkerthraustes Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak
(traditionally in Cardinalidae,
but biochemical evidence suggests it is a tanager)
Genus Nemosia (2 species)
Genus Compsothraupis Scarlet-throated Tanager
Genus Sericossypha White-capped Tanager
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Group 3
Saltators (2 genera)
Genus Saltator (16 species; traditionally
placed in Cardinalidae, but biochemical
evidence suggests they may be tanagers or a sister group
Genus Saltatricula Many-colored Chaco-finch. Traditionally
placed in the Emberizidae
but may be related to one of the Saltators |
Thraupidae incertae sedis
(Latin for "of uncertain placement")(13
genera)
Genus Mitrospingus (2 species)
Genus Orthogonys Olive-green Tanager
Genus Calochaetes Vermilion Tanager
Genus Catamblyrhynchus Plushcap or Plush-capped
Finch
Genus Oreothraupis Tanager-finch
Genus Urothraupis Black-backed Bush-tanager
Genus Rhodinocichla Rosy Thrush-tanager
Genus Lamprospiza Red-billed Pied Tanager
Genus Phaenicophilus palm-tanagers (2 species)
Genus Xenoligea White-winged warbler
Genus Microligea Green-tailed warbler
Genus Calyptophilus chat-tanagers (2 species)
Genus Nesospingus Puerto Rican Tanager |
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Recently split from Thraupidae
Western
Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
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Related to Arremonops and other American sparrows in Emberizidae:
Genus Chlorospingus bush-tanagers (around 10 species)
Related to the cardinals in Cardinalidae:
Genus Piranga northern tanagers (9 species)
Genus Habia ant-tanagers or habias (5 species)
Genus Chlorothraupis (3 species)
Genus Amaurospiza (4 species; apparently very close to Cyanocompsa)
Genus Spindalis spindalises (4 species).
Fringillidae, subfamily Euphoniinae:
Genus Euphonia (over 25 species)
Genus Chlorophonia (5 species)
Text and small pictures
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanager
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Genus Coereba
Bananaquit, Coereba flaveola
Two bananaquits on a branch
Photo:
Leon-bojarczuk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bananaquits.jpg
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The Bananaquit, Coereba flaveola, is a species of passerine
bird of uncertain relation. It is tentatively placed in the
tanager family,
but classified as incertae sedis by other authorities
such as the American Ornithologists' Union. Its classification
is debated,
and it is often placed in its own family: Coerebidae.
It has recently been suggested the Bananaquit should be split
into three species,
but this has yet to receive widespread recognition. This small,
active nectarivore is found in warmer parts of the Americas,
and is
generally common.
The Bananaquit is a small bird, although there is some degree
of size variation across the various subspecies.
Length can range from 7.5 to 12.5 centimetres. Weight ranges
from 5.5 to 19 grams.
Most subspecies of the Bananaquit have dark grey (almost black)
upperparts, black crown and sides of the head, a prominent
white eyestripe, grey throat, white vent, and yellow chest,
belly and rump.
The sexes are alike, but juveniles are duller and often have
a partially yellow eyebrow and throat. In the subspecies bahamensis
and caboti from the Bahamas and Cozumel, respectively, the throat
and upper chest are white or very pale grey, while ferryi
from La Tortuga Island has a white forehead.

Bananaquit
photographed feeding on an orange in its natural habitat
in Dominica
Photo: Charlesjsharp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bananaquit_feeding_on_orange.jpg
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There are at present 39 subspecies.
The subspecies laurae, lowii and melanornis from small islands
off northern Venezuela are overall blackish, while the subspecies
aterrima and atrata from Grenada and Saint Vincent have two
plumage morphs, one "normal" and another blackish.The
pink gape is usually very prominent in the subspecies from islands
in the Caribbean Sea.
The Banaquit has a slender, curved bill, adapted to taking nectar
from flowers. It sometimes pierces flowers from the side,
taking the nectar without pollinating the plant. It also feeds
on sweet juices by puncturing fruit with its beak, and will
eat small
insects on occasion. While feeding, the Banaquit must always
perch as it cannot hover like a hummingbird.
The Banaquit is known for its ability to adjust remarkably to
human environments. It often visits gardens and may become very
tame. Its nickname, the sugar bird, comes from its affinity
for bowls or bird feeders stocked with granular sugar, a common
method of attracting these birds. The Bananaquit builds a spherical
lined nest with a side entrance hole, laying up to three eggs,
which are incubated solely by the female. It may also build
its nest in man-made objects, such as lampshades and garden
trellises.
The birds breed all year regardless of season and build new
nests throughout the year.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaquit
A
Bananquit, Coereba flaveola, in its nest at night, in
the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica
Photo: Steven G. Johnson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bananaquit_nest,_Costa_Rica.JPG
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Brazilian
Tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius
Brazilian
Tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius
Photo: © www.arthurgrosset.com
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The Brazilian Tanager, Ramphocelus bresilius, is endemic
to the east coast of Brazil from Paraíba to Santa Catarina.
In many ways it is similar to the Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus
carbo which is much more widespread but does not occur on the
east coast.
The male is, however, much more brightly coloured than the Silver-beaked
Tanager. Like all Ramphocelus tanagers it has a shiny white
area at the base of the lower mandible. The male acquires this
plumage in its second year and immature males look like a mixture
of male and female plumage.
The female is much duller but only in comparison to her mate.
They are very attractive in their own right.
They are normally found near water, either the ocean or a river
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