Dusky-faced tanager facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dusky-faced tanager
Mitrospingus cassinii cassinii, Panama
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Mitrospingidae
Genus:	Mitrospingus
Species:	M. cassinii
Binomial name
Mitrospingus cassinii (Lawrence, 1861)
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The dusky-faced tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii) is a cool bird found in parts of Central and South America. You can spot it in countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. It belongs to a bird family called Mitrospingidae.

About the Dusky-Faced Tanager

What's in a Name?

Scientists group living things into families. The dusky-faced tanager and three other bird species used to be in the "true" tanager family. But in 2013, experts realized they were different. So, a new family, Mitrospingidae, was created just for them!

This bird has two slightly different types, called subspecies. One is named Mitrospingus cassinii cassinii, and the other is M. c. costaricensis.

What Does it Look Like?

Dusky-faced tanagers are about 18 to 18.5 centimeters (7 to 7.3 inches) long. They weigh around 32 to 39 grams (1.1 to 1.4 ounces).

They have a bright mustard yellow color on top of their head and neck. Their face has a big black "mask" that makes them look mysterious! Their back is a lead gray color. Their throat is light gray, which blends into an olive yellow on their chest. Their belly is a mix of gray and olive yellow.

Young dusky-faced tanagers look similar to the adults. However, they have less yellow on their head and a slightly buffy (light brownish-yellow) color on their underside.

Where Do They Live?

The two types of dusky-faced tanagers live in slightly different areas:

• The M. c. costaricensis subspecies lives along the Caribbean coast. You can find them from Costa Rica's Heredia Province down to the very northwest part of Panama.
• The M. c. cassinii subspecies lives on both sides of western Panama. They also live south through western Colombia and into Ecuador's Guayas Province. You can also find them on the eastern side of Colombia's Central Andes mountains.

These birds like to live in low, thick bushes and dense areas. They are often found in places where forests meet open spaces, or along forest streams and swampy areas.

They usually live at lower elevations. In Costa Rica, they are mostly below 300 meters (980 feet), but sometimes up to 600 meters (2,000 feet). In Panama, they can be found up to 1,200 meters (3,900 feet). In Colombia and Ecuador, they are mostly below 800 meters (2,600 feet).

Dusky-Faced Tanager Behavior

What Do They Eat?

Dusky-faced tanagers mostly enjoy eating fruits. But they also munch on insects and seeds!

How Do They Raise Their Young?

Scientists are still learning a lot about how these birds raise their families. Birds ready to breed have been seen between March and May in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.

Their nests are like cups, carefully built and hanging in shrubs. It seems they usually lay two eggs. What's interesting is that more than two adult birds often help take care of the baby birds!

What Do They Sound Like?

You can hear the dusky-faced tanager singing at dawn. Their song sounds like "seety, seety, seety, seety, seety" [1].

Throughout the day, they make chattering sounds. These sounds are like "sputtering notes such as chet or chet-ut" [2].

Status of the Dusky-Faced Tanager

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the dusky-faced tanager. They have listed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently worried about it becoming endangered.

The bird lives across a large area, and its population seems to be staying steady. It also lives in several protected natural areas, which helps keep it safe.

Images for kids

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  Mitrospingus cassinii cassinii, Panama

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  Range map of the Dusky-faced tanager