Black-goggled tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-goggled tanager |
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The black-goggled tanager (Trichothraupis melanops) is a special bird from the tanager family. It's the only species in its genus called Trichothraupis. You can find this bird in forests and woodlands across a big part of eastern and southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and far north-eastern Argentina. There's also a separate group living along the East Andean mountains in Peru, Bolivia, and far north-western Argentina.
Even though some groups are quite rare, the black-goggled tanager is generally common. Because of this, experts like BirdLife International and IUCN say it's a species of least concern. This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
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Meet the Black-Goggled Tanager!
This unique bird gets its name from the male's striking black "goggles" around its eyes. It's a medium-sized bird with interesting colors that help it blend into its forest home.
What Does It Look Like?
The black-goggled tanager has a mix of colors. Its belly is a warm, yellowish-brown color, which is called tawny. Its back and head are a dull brownish-olive shade.
The wings and tail are a contrasting black. When the bird flies, you might spot a small white patch on its wings. This patch is called a speculum. It's usually hard to see when the bird is sitting still.
The male tanager has a bright yellow patch on its head, like a little crown. It also has a big black area around its eyes. These black "goggles" are how the bird got its common name!
Where Does It Live?
The black-goggled tanager lives in two main areas. One large group lives in the low-lying forests and woodlands of eastern and southern Brazil. They also live in eastern Paraguay and the very north-eastern part of Argentina.
Another group lives far away from the first. This separate group is found along the eastern slopes of the Andean mountains. You can find them in Peru, Bolivia, and the far north-western part of Argentina. This kind of spread-out population is called a disjunct distribution.
Its Family Tree: Taxonomy Simplified
The black-goggled tanager was first officially described in 1818. A French bird expert named Louis Pierre Vieillot gave it the scientific name Muscicapa melanops. He based his description on notes from a Spanish naturalist, Félix de Azara, who saw the bird in Paraguay in 1802.
Later, in 1851, a German bird expert named Jean Cabanis created a new genus just for this bird. He named it Trichothraupis. This genus name comes from two old Greek words. Thrix means "hair," and it's combined with the genus name Thraupis, which is another type of tanager.
The second part of its scientific name, melanops, also comes from old Greek. Melas means "black," and ōps means "face." So, melanops basically means "black-faced," which fits the bird perfectly!
The black-goggled tanager is the only species in its genus Trichothraupis. It doesn't have any different types or subspecies recognized. Within the larger tanager family (Thraupidae), it's closely related to the grey-headed tanager.
