White-winged shrike-tanager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-winged shrike-tanager |
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| At Apiacás, Mato Grosso state, Brazil | |
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| Genus: |
Lanio
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| Species: |
versicolor
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The white-winged shrike-tanager (Lanio versicolor) is a cool type of bird that belongs to the Thraupidae family. You can find these birds living in the warm, wet forests of Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. They like places that are not too high up, usually in lowland forests.
There are two slightly different kinds, or subspecies, of this bird. One is called L. v. versicolor, and it lives in eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia. The other is L. v. parvus, found in eastern and central Brazil, and northeastern Bolivia.
What Does the White-winged Shrike-Tanager Look Like?
The white-winged shrike-tanager is about 16 centimeters (6 inches) long. The male bird has a black head. It also has a patch of yellowish-olive feathers right at the front of its head.
Its back and rump are a yellowish-ochre color. The feathers on its belly and chest are yellow, except for an olive-colored patch on its throat. Its wings and tail are blackish. A big white patch can be seen on the outer parts of its wings.
The female bird looks quite different. She is mostly brownish-ochre on her upper body. Her wings and tail are darker than the rest of her upper feathers. Below, she is yellowish-ochre, with a very yellow belly.
It's easy to spot a male white-winged shrike-tanager because of its unique colors. However, the female might look a bit like the flame-crested tanager (Tachyphonus cristatus). But the flame-crested tanager has browner upper parts. It is also more buff-colored below, not as yellowish-ochre.
Both male and female white-winged shrike-tanagers have a large, sharply hooked beak. The top part of their beak has a small "tooth" at the tip.
Where Does This Bird Live and What Does It Do?
This bird enjoys eating both insects and fruit. It builds a nest that looks like a cup, made from plant fibers woven together.
The white-winged shrike-tanager is quite common. You will often see them in pairs. Sometimes, they even join small groups with other types of birds.
They are very vocal birds and make several loud calls. Their most common call sounds like a descending "twéééu!", which they repeat many times. When they are in a group, their calls often seem to lead the other birds.
These birds usually look for food in the middle to upper parts of tall, humid forest trees. They are rarely seen at the edge of the forest. They live in areas up to about 900 meters (about 2,950 feet) above sea level.
See also
In Spanish: Tangara aliblanca para niños
