Grey-headed tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grey-headed tanager |
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| At Manizales, Caldas, Colombia | |
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Eucometis
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| Species: |
penicillata
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The grey-headed tanager (Eucometis penicillata) is a small bird found in warm parts of the Americas. It belongs to the tanager family, called Thraupidae. This bird is special because it's the only species in its group, known as the genus Eucometis.
You can find the grey-headed tanager in many places. It lives in Central America and northern South America. Its range stretches from Mexico all the way to Brazil. These birds like to live in habitats such as moist lowland forests. They also live in swamps and areas where forests used to be but are now changed.
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About the Grey-Headed Tanager
The grey-headed tanager is known for its unique appearance. It has a mostly grey head, which gives it its name. The rest of its body is often a mix of olive-green and yellow. This helps it blend in with the trees and plants where it lives.
These birds are usually found alone or in pairs. They often join mixed-species flocks, which are groups of different bird types. This helps them find food and stay safe from predators.
Where They Live
The grey-headed tanager lives in a wide range of areas. Its home includes countries like Mexico, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica in Central America. In South America, it can be found in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil.
They prefer certain types of environments. These include forests that are wet and low-lying. They also live in swampy areas. Sometimes, they can even be seen in places where forests have been cleared.
Naming and History
The grey-headed tanager was first officially described in 1825. A German scientist named Johann Baptist von Spix gave it its first scientific name, Tanagra penicillata. Later, in 1856, an English zoologist named Philip Sclater created the genus Eucometis just for this bird.
The name Eucometis comes from an Ancient Greek word. It means "with lovely hair," which might refer to the bird's head feathers. The second part of its scientific name, penicillata, comes from a Latin word. It means "brush," possibly describing the shape of its crest or feathers.
Scientists have studied the grey-headed tanager's family tree. They believe it is closely related to the black-goggled tanager. Both birds are part of the same larger tanager family.
Different Types of Grey-Headed Tanagers
Did you know there are seven different types of grey-headed tanagers? These are called subspecies. They are all the same species but have slight differences, often based on where they live. Here are the recognized subspecies:
- E. p. pallida – Found from southeast Mexico to Honduras.
- E. p. spodocephalus – Lives in Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica.
- E. p. stictothorax – Found in west-central Costa Rica to western Panama.
- E. p. cristata – Lives in eastern Panama, northern Colombia, and northwest Venezuela.
- E. p. affinis – Found in northern Venezuela.
- E. p. penicillata – This is the original type, found in southeast Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, through the Guianas, and northern Brazil.
- E. p. albicollis – Lives in Bolivia and Paraguay, through central Brazil.
