The red-hooded tanager (''Piranga rubriceps''), is a medium-sized

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

songbird A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 500 ...

in the family

Cardinalidae Cardinalidae (often referred to as the "cardinal-grosbeaks" or simply the "cardinals") is a family of New World-endemic passerine birds that consists of cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings. It also includes several birds such as the tanager-like ...

, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

, and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Taxonomy and systematics

The red-hooded tanager and the other species of genus ''Piranga'' were originally placed in the family

Thraupidae The tanagers (singular ) comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropica ...

, the "true" tanagers. Since approximately 2008 they have been placed in their current family. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 19 January 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 19, 2021R. Terry Chesser, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, and Kevin Winker. "Fiftieth supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s ''Check-list of North American Birds''". ''The Auk'' 2009, vol. 126:705-714 retrieved May 15, 2021 The red-hooded tanager is

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

Description

The red-hooded tanager is approximately long and weighs . The male is mostly yellowish overall, with a red hood that extends from the head to the breast. The female is similar, but duller overall, and the red of the head does not extend onto the breast.Hilty, S. (2020). Red-hooded Tanager (''Piranga rubriceps''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rehtan2.01 retrieved May 16, 2021

Distribution and habitat

The red-hooded tanager is found in the Western, Central, and Eastern

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

of Colombia and on the eastern slope of the Andes south through Ecuador to Peru's

Huánuco Province The Huánuco Province is one of 11 provinces of the Huánuco Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Huánuco. History Geography Some of the highest mountains of the province are listed below: Political division The p ...

. It inhabits the interior and edges of humid

montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

, especially those heavy with mosses and

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

s. In Colombia it ranges in elevation from , in Ecuador mostly between , and in Peru from approximately .

Behavior

Feeding

The red-hooded tanager forages by hopping through branches and foliage in the mid- to upper storeys of the forest, often in the open. It travels in pairs or small groups, and about half the time joins

mixed-species foraging flock A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species that join each other and move together while foraging. These ar ...

Breeding

A female red-hooded tanager in breeding condition was noted in Colombia's Western Andes in September. No other information about the species' breeding

phenology Phenology is the study of periodic events in biological life cycles and how these are influenced by seasonality, seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as environmental factor, habitat factors (such as elevation). Examples includ ...

has been published.

Vocalization

The red-hooded tanager's song is "a combination of thin trills, e.g., 'tititititi', interspersed with sweeter, more musical phrases such as 'tswe, weéteetseet-see'

Another song is rendered "tsee-ee-ee-ee

Its calls include "spink!" and "tink!" note

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2226559 Piranga, red-hooded tanager Birds of the Colombian Andes Birds of the Ecuadorian Andes Birds of the Peruvian Andes

red-hooded tanager The red-hooded tanager (''Piranga rubriceps''), is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Taxonomy and systematics The red-hooded tanage ...

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot