Swallow tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swallow tanager |
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| Female | |
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| Male in Paraná, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tersina
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| Species: |
viridis
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The swallow tanager (Tersina viridis) is a beautiful bird found in South America. It belongs to the tanager family, called Thraupidae. This bird is special because it is the only species in its group, known as the genus Tersina. You can find swallow tanagers across a large area, from eastern Panama all the way down to northern Argentina.
These birds are known for their different looks between males and females. This is called sexual dimorphism. The female swallow tanager is a yellow-green color. The male is a bright turquoise blue with a small, dark black patch on its face and upper throat.
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About the Swallow Tanager's Name
Birds and other living things get scientific names to help scientists organize them. This is called taxonomy. The swallow tanager was first officially described in 1811. A German zoologist named Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger gave it the scientific name Hirundo viridis.
Later, in 1819, a French bird expert named Louis Pierre Vieillot created the genus Tersina just for this bird. The name viridis comes from Latin, meaning "green." This makes sense because the female bird is green!
Swallow Tanager Subspecies
Sometimes, birds of the same species can look a little different depending on where they live. These slight variations are called subspecies. There are three known subspecies of the swallow tanager:
- T. v. grisescens – Found in northern Colombia.
- T. v. occidentalis – Lives in eastern Panama, most of Colombia, east to the Guianas, northern Brazil, and south to Bolivia and northwest Argentina.
- T. v. viridis – Found in eastern and southern Brazil, southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.
What Does a Swallow Tanager Look Like?
The swallow tanager is about 14.5 to 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long. It has a wide, flat beak. As mentioned, males and females look very different.
Male vs. Female Appearance
The male swallow tanager is a striking bright turquoise blue. It has a black face and throat, which makes it easy to spot. The blue sides of its body have black stripes, and its lower belly is white.
The female, on the other hand, is a bright green. She has dusky-olive stripes on her sides. She does not have the black face mask that the male has.
Swallow Tanager Behavior
Swallow tanagers like to be in groups. However, they usually stick with their own kind and do not mix with other bird species. They mostly eat fruit, which they find in their habitat. They also hunt insects. They will sit on a branch and then quickly fly out to catch an insect in the air.
Unique Nesting Habits
One very interesting thing about swallow tanagers is how they build their nests. Unlike many other tanagers, they sometimes dig a hole in a bank of dirt or a cliff. They use this hole as a safe place to lay their eggs and raise their young.
