Puerto Rican tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puerto Rican tanager |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nesospingus
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| Species: |
speculiferus
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The Puerto Rican tanager (Nesospingus speculiferus) is a small bird that sings, found only on the archipelago of Puerto Rico. It is the only type of bird in its group, called Nesospingus. People used to think it was part of the tanager family, but new studies show it might belong somewhere else. Locals in Puerto Rico call this bird "llorosa," which means "cryer," because of its unique calls.
Contents
About the Puerto Rican Tanager
What Does It Look Like?
The Puerto Rican tanager is a small bird, usually about 18 to 20 centimeters (7–8 inches) long. It weighs around 36 grams, which is about as much as a few quarters. Both male and female tanagers have olive-brown feathers on their backs and pale gray or white feathers underneath.
Adult birds often have light stripes on their chest and a pure white throat. They also have a clear white spot on their wing and a dark crown (top of the head) and face that covers their eyes. The feathers under their tail are a light yellowish-brown. Male tanagers have a brown-black upper beak and a white lower beak, while females have completely black beaks. Young tanagers look similar to adults but are brownish underneath and do not have the white wing spot.
What Does It Sound Like?
The most common sound you'll hear from a Puerto Rican tanager is a short, harsh call. People often describe it as a chewp or chuck. You might hear this sound when a group of tanagers is looking for food. Sometimes, they make a longer sound like chi-chi-chit.
When it's time for them to find a mate, their song is light, sweet, and fast. It sounds like tswet-tswet-tswet-tswet. They also have other calls, like a soft sigh that sounds like a deep breath, and a light tsip-tsip-tsip.
How Do They Behave?
Puerto Rican tanagers like to sleep together in big groups. They often gather in large clumps of bamboo or palm trees. These birds are usually the main species in mixed groups of birds that feed together, especially in winter when other birds from North America visit Puerto Rico. However, during the breeding season, tanagers become very protective of their nesting areas.
Puerto Rican tanagers are strong flyers. But they usually don't fly long distances. They prefer to make short flights through the tops of trees or through thick bushes.
What Do They Eat?
Puerto Rican tanagers mostly eat small creatures without backbones, like insects and spiders, and also fruits. Sometimes, they have been seen eating small lizards or even baby birds from other nests. But most of their diet includes spiders, insects, centipedes, snails, and different kinds of fruits.
The types of fruit they eat depend on the season. They often enjoy fruits from Cecropia and Clusia plants. tree frogs, like the common coquí, are also an important part of the Puerto Rican tanager's diet.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for Puerto Rican tanagers usually runs from January to late July. However, some birds have been seen breeding at other times of the year. During this time, the male birds become very protective of their territory.
Their nests are built at the ends of branches, usually 2 to 10 meters (about 6 to 33 feet) off the ground. The nests are shaped like a cup and are about 9.2 centimeters (3.6 inches) wide. They are typically made from vines, ferns, roots, and palm fibers. The inside of the nest is lined with soft feathers and palm leaves. Female tanagers lay 2 to 3 oval-shaped white eggs. These eggs have reddish-brown spots on them.
Who Are Their Predators?
Because Puerto Rican tanagers sleep together in groups, they can be an easy target for owls on the island, such as the Puerto Rican owl. They are also often hunted by the Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk.
Where Do They Live?
The Puerto Rican tanager lives only in the mid to high parts of mountains (from 300 to 1350 meters, or about 980 to 4430 feet) in the forests of Puerto Rico. They usually live in old, grown-up forests and also in forests that are growing back after being cut down. These are often subtropical rain and wet forests, or lower mountain forests.
Many of these birds live on the eastern and western sides of the central mountain range of Puerto Rico. You can find populations in El Yunque National Forest and Maricao State Forest. Unfortunately, cutting down forests has caused the tanager's population to become separated. It used to live across the entire central mountain range, but now it is only found in protected areas and on higher peaks.
See also
In Spanish: Tangara puertorriqueña para niños
