White-lined Tanager

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White-lined Tanager

Conservation status

Least Concern

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Thraupidae
Genus:	Tachyphonus
Species:	T. rufus

Binomial name

Tachyphonus rufus
(Boddaert, 1783)

The White-lined Tanager, Tachyphonus rufus, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Costa Rica south to northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago.

It occurs in semi-open areas including gardens. The bulky cup nest is built in a tree or shrub, and the female incubates three, sometimes two, brown-blotched cream eggs for 14-15 days.

Adult White-lined Tanagers are 18.5cm long and weigh 33g. They are long-tailed and with a mostly black stout pointed bill. The adult male is glossy black, apart from white underwing coverts and a small white patch on the upperwing. These white areas are conspicuous in flight but otherwise rarely visible. Females and immatures are entirely rufous in plumage, somewhat paler below.

These are restless but unwary birds which eat a wide variety of fruit, but especially epiphytes. They also take some nectar and insects, including beetles, ants and grasshoppers. They appear to be territorial, as only one nesting pair is usually seen in an area.

Local names in Trinidad and Tobago include 'Parson' (for the male), and 'Singing Angel'. They are valued highly for their whistling ability.

The White-lined Tanager’s song is a fast repetitive cheeru.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Tachyphonus rufus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, 2nd edition, Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5.