Dusky-faced Tanager

About the Dusky-faced Tanager

The dusky-faced tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii) is a species of bird in the family Mitrospingidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. The dusky-faced tanager and the three other species in family Mitrospingidae were previously placed in family Thraupidae, the "true" tanagers. A 2013 publication detailed how they did not belong there and proposed the new family for them. The North and South American Classification Committees of the American Ornithological Society accepted the new placement in July 2017 and March 2019, respectively. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) followed suit in January 2018.

The dusky-faced tanager has two subspecies, the nominate Mitrospingus cassinii cassinii and M. c. costaricensis. The two subspecies are "very poorly differentiated." The adults are 18 to 18.5 cm (7.1 to 7.3 in) long and weigh 32 to 39 g (1.1 to 1.4 oz). Their crown and nape are mustard yellow. The face has a large black "mask". Their upper parts are lead gray. The throat is light gray transitioning to olive yellow on the breast and flanks and further to a gray-olive-yellow blend on the belly. The juvenile is... Wikipedia →