[order] Passeriformes | [family] Thraupidae | [latin] Piranga flava | [IT] Piranga epatica | [UK] Hepatic Tanager | [FR] Tangara orange | [DE] Zinnobertangare | [ES] tangara encinera | [NL] Levertangare | [SU]-
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Region | Range |
| Piranga | hepatica | NA, MA | w USA to Nicaragua | |
| Piranga | hepatica | albifacies | ||
| Piranga | hepatica | dextra | ||
| Piranga | hepatica | figlina | ||
| Piranga | hepatica | hepatica | ||
| Piranga | hepatica | savannarum |
Physical charateristics
The male is red to red-orange. Ear coverts, back, and flanks grayish. Bill dark, blackish on upper mandible, light gray on lower with black tip. The female has forehead, throat, and underparts olive-yellow to orange-yellow. Ear coverts and flanks grayish. Crown, nape, wings, and back grayish olive.
Listen to the sound of Hepatic Tanager
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 17 | cm | size max.: | 18 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 13 | days | incubation max.: | 14 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 3 | ||
| eggs max.: | 5 |
Range
Breeds in southwest U.S. south to Mexico; also occurs from Costa Rica to South America. Spends winters south of U.S.-Mexico border. Inhabits open pine and pine-oak forests.
There seems to be some doubt as to whether or not the Hepatic Tanager ranging from south west United States to central Argentina is one, two or three species.
There seems to be some doubt as to whether or not the Hepatic Tanager ranging from south west United States to central Argentina is one, two or three species.
There are certainly three groups: the hepatica group (or Northern Hepatic Tanager) found from the USA to Nicaragua; the lutea group (or Highland Hepatic Tanager) found from Costa Rica into the northern Andes and the highlands of Venezuela; and the flava group (or Lowland Hepatic Tanager) found over much of south Brazil, Paraguay and central Argentina with small areas in the lower Amazon and the savannas of southern Guianas/Roraima. (Arthur Grosset).
Habitat
They are found in more open woodland and scrub habitats and appear to be benefiting from deforestation in some areas.
Reproduction
Nest a flat cup of plant fibers, grasses, and twigs. Lined with pine needles and soft materials. Placed in fork near end of horizontal tree branch. Three to five blue green eggs with brown markings are laid in a shallow cup nest built on a low horizontal branch, 5 to 15 meter above the ground. Eggs are incubated by the female for about 13 to 14 days.
Feeding habits
They feed on a variety of fruit as well as insects of which bees and wasps seem to be favourites. Hepatic Tanager: Feeds mostly on insects in upper foliage of tall trees, where it gleans prey from branches, stems, and leaves. Sometimes catches insects in flight. Also eats fruits.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,600,000 km2. It has a large global population estimated to be 360,000 individuals (Rich et al. 2003). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Sedentary throughout range (given the Surinam subspecies)
Distribution map
Literature
Title DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPECIES OF PIRANGA HEPATICA SWAINSON.
Author(s): HARRY C. OBERHOLSER
Abstract: The geographic range of Piranga hepatica hepatica,..[more]..
Source: The Auk(36): 74-80, 1919
Recent Comments