Red-shouldered Tanager

About the Red-shouldered Tanager

The red-shouldered tanager (Tachyphonus phoenicius) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers and allies. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. The red-shouldered tanager was formally described in 1838 with its current binomial Tachyphonus phoenicius. The binomial is derived from Greek; the genus name Tachyphonus is from the words takhus meaning fast, and phone meaning sound or voice, which translates “fast speaking”. The specific epithet phoenicius means “crimson, dark red”.

The red-shouldered tanager is monotypic. The red-shouldered tanager is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long and weighs 17 to 25 g (0.60 to 0.88 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males are mostly glossy black. They have a small seldom-visible red and white patch on the bend of the wing and marginal coverts and white underwing coverts. Adult females have a dark brownish gray crown that appears scalloped due to dark feather centers and paler edges. They have a slightly darker mask from the lores to past the eye and an otherwise dark grayish brown face. Their upperparts, wings, and... Wikipedia →