Flame-crested tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flame-crested tanager |
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| Male in south-eastern Brazil | |
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| Female at Restinga de Bertioga State Park, in São Paulo state, Brazil. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Loriotus
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| Species: |
cristatus
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The flame-crested tanager (Loriotus cristatus) is a beautiful bird that lives in South America. It is part of the Thraupidae family, which includes many types of tanagers. You can find this bird in countries like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It prefers to live in warm, wet lowland forests and dry shrubland areas.
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About the Flame-crested Tanager's Name
The flame-crested tanager got its scientific name, Tanagra cristata, from the famous Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1766. He was known for creating the system we use today to name living things. The word cristata comes from Latin and means "plumed" or "crested," which describes the bird's special head feathers.
This bird was once placed in a different group, or genus, called Tachyphonus. However, scientists later studied the birds' DNA. They found that the Tachyphonus group needed to be reorganized. So, the flame-crested tanager was moved to a new genus called Loriotus. This genus name comes from a French word for Old World orioles. There are currently ten different types, or subspecies, of the flame-crested tanager recognized by scientists.
What Does the Flame-crested Tanager Look Like?
The flame-crested tanager is about 15 cm (6 in) long. It weighs around 20 g (0.7 oz), which is about the same as a few quarters.
The male bird is quite striking. It has a black head and a small, orange-red patch under its chin. Its most noticeable feature is a medium-sized, orange crest on its head. The rest of its upper body is a dark, slate-like black. It also has a bright golden-buff color on its lower back, called the rump. A large white patch can be seen on its upper wing feathers. The underside of the male is a dark brownish-black.
The female flame-crested tanager looks a bit different from the male. She is more brownish on her upper parts. Her underparts are a buff-ochre color, which is a yellowish-brown.
Where Do Flame-crested Tanagers Live?
This bird lives in the lowland forests of the northern part of South America. There are two main areas where they are found. The largest population lives across most of the Amazon Basin in Brazil. They also live in southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and eastern parts of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
A separate group of these birds lives along a coastal strip of Brazil. This area stretches from the city of Recife down to Curitiba.
Is the Flame-crested Tanager in Danger?
The flame-crested tanager is a common bird. It has a very large area where it lives. Scientists have not counted every single bird, but they believe the total number is very big. The population seems to be stable, meaning it is not decreasing.
Because of its wide range and stable numbers, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has given this bird a conservation status of "least concern." This means it is not currently considered to be in danger of extinction.
