| Cherrie's tanager | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male inCosta Rica | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Thraupidae |
| Genus: | Ramphocelus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | R. p. costaricensis |
| Trinomial name | |
| Ramphocelus passerinii costaricensis Cherrie, 1891 | |
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Cherrie's tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii costaricensis) is a medium-sizedpasserinebird. Thistanager is a resident breeder in thePacific lowlands ofCosta Rica and westernPanama. This bird was formerly known as thescarlet-rumped tanager, but was split as a separate species from theCaribbean form, which was itself renamed asPasserini's tanager,Ramphocelus passerinii. While most authorities had accepted this split, there were notable exceptions (e.g. theHoward and Moore checklist). It was lumped back into theScarlet-rumped Tanager in 2018.
Cherrie's tanager is very common from sea level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) altitude, and occurs occasionally up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). The preferred habitat is semi-open areas including light second growth, woodland edges, gardens and pasture with bushes. The cup nest is built up to 6 m (20 ft) high in a tree. The normal clutch is two pale blue or grey eggs, marked with black, brown or lilac. This species will sometimes raise two broods in a season.
The adult Cherrie's tanager is 16 cm (6.3 in) long and weighs 31 g (1.1 oz). The adult male is mainly black except for a scarlet rump, silvery bill and dark red iris. The female has a grey head, olive upperparts, orange rump, brownish wings and tail, and ochre underparts with a broad orange breast band. The female plumage is the one that differs most from Passerini's tanager. Immatures resemble the adult female, but with a less orange breast.
Cherrie's tanagers occur in pairs, small groups, or as part of amixed-species feeding flock, and up to a dozen birds may roost together in dense thickets at night. This species feeds on smallfruit, usually swallowed whole,insects andspiders.
Cherrie's tanager's call is a sharpwac. Its song consists of a few clear pleasant notes, delivered in longer phrases than that of its Caribbean relative.
This bird is called Cherrie's tanager to honor the memory of American naturalist, explorer and adventurerGeorge Cherrie.[2] Dr. Cherrie accompanied former PresidentTheodore Roosevelt in the famous 1913 exploration of the River of Doubt, in the Brazilian amazon basin, which was later namedRio Roosevelt.
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