White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus)

Identification & Behavior: ~19 cm (7.4 in). The male White-lined Tanager is all black with a semi-concealed white shoulder patch. The female is rusty overall with darker upperparts. The juvenile looks like a female. The molting immature male is rusty with black blotches. The bill is both sexes silvery particularly in the male. It forages in pairs in scrub, tall shrubbery, and other similar habitats outside forested areas. The male is similar to a male Red-shouldered Tanager but is distinguished by a pure white shoulder patch. These two tanagers have a limited range overlap.

Status: The White-lined Tanager is fairly common but local from the Amazonian lowlands up to 1800 m on the east slope of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Tangara de Líneas Blancas.

Sub-species: White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus), (Boddaert), 1783.

Meaning of Name: Tachyphonus: Gr takhus= fast and phoneo= to speak. Takhuphonos= fast speaking. rufus: L. rufus= rufous.

See more of the Family Thraupidae