Diademed tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diademed tanager |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Stephanophorus
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| Species: |
diadematus
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| Synonyms | |
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Tanagra diademata (protonym) |
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The diademed tanager (Stephanophorus diadematus) is a beautiful bird found in parts of South America. It's known for its striking purple-blue feathers and a special white "crown" on its head, which has a small red spot. This bird is the only one of its kind in the Stephanophorus group, making it quite unique!
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About the Diademed Tanager
The diademed tanager is a type of Neotropical bird. This means it lives in the warmer parts of the Americas. It belongs to the Thraupidae family, which is a large group of birds often called tanagers.
What They Look Like
These birds are easy to spot because of their bright colors. They are mostly a lovely purple-blue. The most special part of their look is the white patch on top of their head, which looks like a tiny crown. Right in the middle of this white crown, there's a small, bright red spot. This unique feature gives them their name, "diademed," which means "wearing a diadem" or a crown.
Where They Live
You can find diademed tanagers mainly in open areas. They live in the southern parts of Brazil, the northeastern areas of Argentina, and in Uruguay. They prefer places where there are some trees but also open spaces to fly and find food.
Naming and History
Understanding how animals get their names is part of a science called taxonomy. It helps us organize and understand all living things.
Who Named This Bird
The diademed tanager was first officially described and drawn in 1823. This was done by a Dutch scientist named Coenraad Jacob Temminck. He gave it the scientific name Tanagra diademata at that time.
Later, in 1841, another scientist named Hugh Edwin Strickland created a new group, or genus, just for this bird. He called this group Stephanophorus. Today, the diademed tanager is the only species in this Stephanophorus group.
What Its Name Means
The name Stephanophorus comes from ancient Greek words. Stephanē means "diadem" or "crown," and -phoros means "carrying." So, the genus name means "crown-carrying."
The second part of its scientific name, diadematus, is Latin. It also means "diademed" or "crowned." Both parts of its name clearly point to the special white crown on its head!
This bird is considered "monotypic." This means there are no different types or subspecies of the diademed tanager. All diademed tanagers look pretty much the same, no matter where they live.
