Blue-backed Tanager
Cyanicterus cyanicterus
Large, striking tanager of tall rainforest. Combination of size and blue-and-yellow plumage is diagnostic; female is more extensively yellow below, including on face. A generally uncommon resident of undisturbed forest regions; may also be found in shorter-stature forests on sandy soils, but is generally absent from disturbed and coastal areas. Usually seen with mixed-species flocks in the canopy. Hops clumsily among branches, gleaning insects from foliage. Distinctive, far-carrying call is two-noted, the second lower-pitched.
Identification
The blue-backed tanager (Cyanicterus cyanicterus)is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers and allies. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy
The blue-backed tanager was formally described in 1819 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot under the binomial name Pyranga cyanicterus. The type locality is Cayenne in French Guiana. This species is now the only member of the genus Cyanicterus that was introduced by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1850. The word cyanicterus is formed from the Ancient Greek kuanos meaning "dark-blue" and ikteros meaning "jaundice-yellow". The blue-backed tanager is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Cyanicterus cyanicterus
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1819)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Cyanicterus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Hemitriccus rufigularis
Small and rather scarce flycatcher found inside tall, undisturbed cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes. Note olive back and wings, buffy head and breast, and pale gray belly. May show some faint underpart streaking in southern part of its range. Typically encountered alone, actively chasing insects in lower to middle levels of the forest. Gives sharp “weep” calls either in a leisurely series or in a faster burst.
Chestnut-capped Blackbird
Chrysomus ruficapillus
Medium-sized blackbird found in marshes, wet grasslands, and occasionally agricultural areas. Males are mostly black with a chestnut forehead, crown and throat. Females are dark brown above with faint streaks and olive-brown below with a buff throat. Highly gregarious, may gather in huge groups of up to 1000 individuals.
Bran-colored Flycatcher
Myiophobus fasciatus
Small, mostly brown flycatcher that inhabits lightly wooded areas and forest edge. Good field marks include its streaky breast, tan wingbars, and lack of strong facial markings. Typically seen alone or in pairs, often sitting quietly on a low perch. Vocalizations include a rising trill and a clear whistle. Note that birds found west of the Andes from southern Colombia to northern Chile are now considered to be different species.
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