Western Tanager

Male Tanager in breeding plumage

The Tanager ( Piranga ludoviciana ) is a small bird of the family of tanagers ( Thraupidae ). The bird of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark was discovered during the Lewis and Clark expedition in western Louisiana. That's why he was at the beginning of Alexander Wilson also the name " Louisianatangare ".

Features

The head plumage in the male in breeding plumage bright red. In the neck, the chest and on the underside of the feathers is yellow. On the gray-black to black elytra are yellow and white wing bars. The back side, except the yellow background area, and the tail feathers are black gray to black. In the female the head plumage is olive green to grayish and the wing -coverts and tail feathers have a more matte black gray color. The front back is like the head feathers olive green to grayish. In winter, the head portion of the male assumes a yellow color.

The red dye in the face of the Tanager is rhodoxanthin, a rare pigment in birds. It is not formed by the bird, as with other tanagers, but from the diet, probably by insects, was added.

Lifestyle and dissemination

The nest is built in the lower regions of fir, pine or spruce. The nest consists of three to five light blue to bluish- green eggs.

They feed mainly on insects. Occasionally, fruits are consumed. Their prey animals they feel mostly in the upper regions of the trees

Hatched usually in mixed forests in the mountains. The distribution area extends from the northwest in Canada over north-west America. In winter they move to California and live among others preferred eucalyptus forests.