| Piranga | |
|---|---|
| File:Piranga olivacea1.png | |
| Scarlet Tanager | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Inopinaves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Clade: | Nine-primaried oscines |
| Epifamily: | Icteroidae |
| Clade: | Thraupid group |
| Family: | Cardinalidae |
| Genus: | Piranga Vieillot, 1808 |
Piranga is a genus of birds long placed in the tanager family, but now considered relatives of the Cardinalis cardinals.
Similar in shape and habits to the true tanagers, their coloration betrays their actual relationships. They are essentially red, orange or yellow all over, except the tail and wings and in some species also the back. Such extensive lipochrome coloration (except on the belly) is very rare in true tanagers, but widespread among the Cardinalidae.
These songbirds are found high in tree canopies, and are not very gregarious in their breeding areas. Piranga species pick insects from leaves, or sometimes in flight. They will also take some fruit. Several species are migratory, breeding in North America and wintering in the tropics.
Species in taxonomic order[]
- Rose-throated Tanager, Piranga roseogularis
- Red-headed Tanager, Piranga erythrocephala
- White-winged Tanager, Piranga leucoptera
- Red-hooded Tanager, Piranga rubriceps
- Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea
- Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra
- Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
- Flame-colored Tanager, Piranga bidentata
- Lowland Hepatic-Tanager / Red Tanager, Piranga flava
- Northern Hepatic-Tanager / Hepatic Tanager, Piranga hepatica
- Highland Hepatic-Tanager / Tooth-billed Tanager, Piranga lutea
References[]
- ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd edition ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2..
- Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5..
- Morton, Isler & Isler, Tanagers ISBN 0-7136-5116-4.
- Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-8014-9600-4.
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This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera. |
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