| Brown tanager | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| atItatiaia National Park, Brazil. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Thraupidae |
| Genus: | Orchesticus Cabanis, 1851 |
| Species: | O. abeillei |
| Binomial name | |
| Orchesticus abeillei (Lesson, 1839) | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Pyrrhula Abeillei (protonym) | |
Thebrown tanager (Orchesticus abeillei) is a small South American bird in the tanager familyThraupidae. It is the only member of thegenusOrchesticus.
The brown tanager is about 17 cm (6+3⁄4 in) in length and weighs about 31.5 g. As suggested by its name, theplumage is overall brown. The bill is relatively thick. It isendemic to humidAtlantic forest of south-eastern Brazil at altitudes of 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft). It forages in thecanopy and is typically seen in pairs. It is generally uncommon, but known from several protected areas, such as theItatiaia National Park.
It will catchinsects in the air; in a manner often referred to assallying. It will also take insects directly off plants.
It lays 2 eggs with a pinkish hue. The larger end of the egg is speckled with brown and lavender.
The brown tanager wasformally described in 1839 by the French naturalistRené Lesson under thebinomial namePyrrhula Abeillei.[2] The species was moved to its ownmonospecific genusOrchesticus in 1851 by the German ornithologistJean Cabanis.[3] Thetype locality isRio de Janeiro in Brazil.[4] The genus name is from theAncient Greekorkhēstikos meaning "good at dancing". The specific epithetabeillei was chosen to honour the French collector and naturalist M. Abeillé.[5] Within theThraupidae the brown tanager is placed with theyellow-shouldered grosbeak in the subfamily Orchesticinae.[6] The species ismonotypic: nosubspecies are recognised.[7]
