Metallic-green Tanager

Goldnackentangare ( above) & Schwarznackentangare ( below)

The Schwarznackentangare ( Tangara labradorides ) is a species of bird in the family of tanagers ( Thraupidae ). The species has a large distribution area, which includes the South American countries Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The stock is assessed by the IUCN as endangered not (Least Concern ).

Features

The Schwarznackentangare reaches a body length of about 13 centimeters. The largest part of the plumage looks silver green to silver- blue depending on how the light is incident. The apex and a broad black eye stripe are opalescent green to straw golden. The eye mask, the center of the crown and nape are black. The black shoulders, secondaries and tail feathers have green edges. Only on the secondaries the edges are predominantly blue. The middle part of abdomen and under tail-coverts are yellow-brown to cinnamon.

Distribution and habitat

The species is rather rare in humid mountain forests. They usually moves in the treetops along forest edges and secondary vegetation of the subtropical zone at altitudes between 1300 up to 2200 meters.

Behavior

The bird is very active and acrobatic climbs between thin branches and twigs. It depends and it flutters on the outer foliage, examining the underside of the leaves by arthropods. He is usually in pairs or traveling in smaller groups. Often one sees him together with other Tangarenarten. In contrast to most other tanagers he is not outspoken Waldvogel.

Subspecies

There are described two subspecies, which differ mainly in their coloring and their area of ​​distribution:

• Tangara labradorides labradorides ( Boissonneau ), 1840 - nominate. Occurs on the slopes of the Western, Eastern and Central Andes in Colombia. In Ecuador, Pichincha Province in the south to present only on the western slopes.
• Tangara labradorides chaupensis Chapman, 1925 The general color is green. The abdomen is much paler. The whitish area stretches up to the chest and most of the abdomen. The vertex has either a minimal or no golden glow. The edges of the primaries are gold green instead of blue. The distribution area is the southeast Ecuador to north- west of the Peruvian Province Huancabamba. The first specimen described was from Chaupe.

Naming

Auguste Boissonneau described this Schillertangare initially Tanagra ( Aglaia ) labradorides. The name comes from Latin and describes the typical color of labradorite.