Guira tanager facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guira tanager
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Thraupidae
Genus:	Hemithraupis
Species:	H. guira
Binomial name
Hemithraupis guira (Linnaeus, 1766)
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Synonyms
Motacilla guira (protonym)

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The guira tanager (Hemithraupis guira) is a small, colorful bird that belongs to the tanager family, Thraupidae. These birds are known for their bright feathers and lively songs.

You can find the guira tanager in many countries across South America. These include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. They love to live in warm, wet places. Their favorite homes are tropical lowland forests. They can also be found in areas where forests have been changed by humans.

About the Guira Tanager

The guira tanager is a fascinating bird. It is part of a large group of birds called tanagers. These birds are often found in tropical areas. They play an important role in their habitats.

What's in a Name?

The name guira comes from the Guarani language. In Guarani, guira simply means "bird." So, the guira tanager is essentially the "bird bird"! This name was given to it a long time ago.

A famous Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus first officially described this bird in 1766. He helped create the system we use today to name all living things. The guira tanager is now placed in a group called Hemithraupis.

Guira Tanager Family Tree

Just like people, birds have different groups within their species. These are called subspecies. They are like different branches of the same family. Scientists recognize eight different types of guira tanagers. Each one lives in a slightly different area.

• H. g. nigrigula – Found in parts of Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northeast Brazil.
• H. g. roraimae – Lives in southeast Venezuela and west-central Guyana.
• H. g. guirina – Seen from west and central Colombia all the way to northwest Peru.
• H. g. huambina – Inhabits southeast Colombia, east Ecuador, northeast Peru, and west Brazil.
• H. g. boliviana – Found in east Bolivia and northwest Argentina.
• H. g. amazonica – Lives in central Brazil.
• H. g. guira – This is the original type, found in east Brazil.
• H. g. fosteri – Located in southeast Brazil, Paraguay, and northeast Argentina.