White-winged Tanager

About the White-winged Tanager

The white-winged tanager (Piranga leucoptera) is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found from Mexico, through Central America, across northern South America and as far south as Bolivia.

The white-winged tanager and the other species of genus Piranga were originally placed in the family Thraupidae, the "true" tanagers. Since approximately 2008 they have been placed in their current family. It and the red-headed tanager (Piranga erythrocephala) have sometimes been placed in genus Spermagra.

The white-winged tanager has four recognized subspecies, the nominate Piranga leucoptera leucoptera, P. l. latifasciata, P. l. venezuelae, and P. l. ardens. The white-winged tanager is approximately 13 cm (5.1 in) long and weighs 13 to 20 g (0.46 to 0.71 oz). The nominate male is mostly red, with a black "mask" and black wings with white wing bars. The female is dull olive-yellow, but retains the black wings and white wing bars. The juvenile is similar to the female, but duller. The male P. l. latifasciata is darker red and the female a more intense yellow; both sexes have broader... Wikipedia →