Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava)

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

hepatic_tanager
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Northwest Peru

hepatic_tanager
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. Cajamarca, Peru

hepatic_tanager
Age: Adult | Sex: Male | Loc. Cajamarca, Peru

hepatic_tanager
Age: Adult | Sex: Female | Loc. Moyobamba, Peru


Identification & Behavior: ~18 cm (7 in). The adult male Hepatic Tanager is all red with variable gray lores. The female is yellowish-brown above and orange-yellow below. The young male has a female-like plumage. The immature male is blotched with red. The bill in both sexes is thick and dusky. It is very similar to the Summer Tanager but is distinguished by having gray lores and a  dark and robust bill. These two piranga tanagers have limited geographic overlap. The Hepatic Tanager forages in pairs or alone in riparian forests, semi-open habitats, edges of agricultural lands, and orchards.

Status: The Hepatic Tanager is fairly common and widespread in the northern half of Peru where it occurs on the east and west slopes of the Andes. Further south it only occurs on the east slope of the Andes. The Hepatic Tanager generally ranges at elevations between 250-2700 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Piranga Bermeja.

Sub-species: Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava lutea), (Lesson), 1834.

Meaning of Name: Piranga: Güaraní name Pirangá red (bird), for a small bird, a finch or a tanager. flava: L. flavus golden-yellow, gold-coloured, yellow.

See more of the Family Cardinalidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
hepatic_tanagerVoice


References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2016.