Fawn-breasted Tanager
Pipraeidea melanonota
Small sleek tanager with distinctive color pattern: pale sandy underparts with peachy blush on breast, black mask, powdery-blue crown, and darker blue back and wings. Sexes alike. Uncommon in second growth, edges, and gardens, where it is most often seen singly or in pairs. Occasionally follows mixed-species flocks. Found from foothills to upper subtropical zone in Andes, sometimes straying even higher. Populations in southeastern South America occur at lower elevations.
Identification
The fawn-breasted tanager has an average body length of 14 cm (5.5 in) and can weigh 18–25 g (0.63–0.88 oz). This species of tanager has an unusually short, wide beak, similar to the beaks of swallows, as well as short legs and tail, and long wings. The most noticeable coloration of this species is its sky-blue crown and broad black mask that extends over the eyes into ear-coverts. The coloration of male crown and nape is a medium blue, and the forehead, lores, ocular area and ear-coverts are deep black. The mantle and back of males are a dull blue color, the lower back and rump a bright turquoise-blue, tail dusky blue, throat and the underparts of the body are a cinnamon color. The iris is a dark red to reddish-brown color, and the bill is dusky with a lower mandible that is normally grey. The female has a similar coloration but is usually duller, particularly in the crown region, and with a brownish coloration on the back. Juveniles are almost without pattern and have a dull brownish-grey coloring. The fawn-breasted tanager is usually seen singly or in pairs, most often in the semi-open, but it may perch at any height.<p>Calls consist of "see" or "swee" tones varying in sets of 4 or 5 notes sung slowly, or a higher number of notes, around a dozen, uttered in a pulsating trill pattern in a faster rhythm.
Taxonomy
The fawn-breasted tanager was described in 1819 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot from a specimen obtained in Brazil. He coined the binomial name Tangara melanonota. The specific name melanonota is from the Ancient Greek melas "black" and nōtos "back". The current genus Pipraeidea was introduced by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1827. The name combines the genus Pipra which had been introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1764 with the Ancient Greek eidos meaning "form" or "likeness".<p>Recent DNA evidence places this species as closely related probable relation to the blue-and-yellow tanager.<p>Two subspecies are currently recognized:
- Scientific name
- Pipraeidea melanonota
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1819)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Pipraeidea
Range and habitat
The range of the fawn-breasted tanager extends throughout South America, covering most of Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, east Paraguay, Uruguay, Northeastern Argentina, following towards the southern bank of the Río de la Plata. The species can be found in habitats along forest borders, bushy pastures, and cultivated small semi open areas with large trees and clearings with scattered trees. The elevation range that this species can tolerate varies geographically. In the Andes and Ecuador it can be found at altitudes of 1500–2500 m, with a maximum of 3000 m. In Colombia, it occurs down to 900 m, and in Venezuela to 400 m.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its extremely large range, variety of habitats and apparently large population size. Due to opening of forested areas through agriculture and other anthropogenic changes, it may be expanding its range locally.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Breeds on islands in the western Mediterranean and moves to offshore waters in Britain and southwest Europe mainly in late summer and autumn. Small, stiff-winged seabird often found in association with Manx Shearwater, which is similar in size and shape. Balearic is dark brown above, dingy pale brownish below, usually with white belly, but lacks strongly contrasting black-and-white pattern of Manx.
Unicolored Jay
Aphelocoma unicolor
Well-named, this uniformly deep-blue jay occurs locally in highland evergreen and pine-evergreen forest. Like most jays, usually found in groups, often in association with mixed-species feeding flocks that include orioles, woodcreepers, and other jay species. Most likely confused with southern forms of Steller’s Jay, which occur in the same areas. Steller’s has bold white face spots, darker plumage with barring on wings, and short crest (which can be held flat). Also note rather different voices.
Ornate Pitta
Pitta concinna
A typical pitta: plump, short-tailed, long-legged, and primarily terrestrial (sometimes perches up to call). Bright green above with electric blue shoulder patch and rump and black head with conspicuous pale brow. Underside golden-buff with black and bright red on the belly. Juvenile duller, with little blue in wing, an orange-tipped bill, and a pinkish belly. Resident in woodland, forest, scrub, and plantations in the lowlands and hills of the Lesser Sundas, from Lombok east to Alor. Formerly regarded as a subspecies of Elegant Pitta, to which it is very similar; Ornate averages more extensively black on the throat and lower belly, and has a fairly evenly divided rufous-and-white “eyebrow.” Also note Ornate’s whistled two-note call.
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