Opal rumped Tanager (Tangara velia)

[order] Passeriformes | [family] Thraupidae | [latin] Tangara velia | [UK] Opal-rumped Tanager | [FR] Calliste varie | [DE] Rotbauchtangare | [ES] Tangara lomiopalina | [IT] Calliste varie | [NL] Opaalstuit-tangare

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

The Opal-rumped Tanager has a length of 12 to 14 cm. The upperparts are mostly black and underparts are mostly a deep violet blue. The center of belly and undertail-coverts are chestnut. The rump is shining straw yellow tinged with green. Color variation occurs within regions. The beak, feet, and legs are black.

Listen to the sound of Opal-rumped Tanager

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/O/Opal-rumped Tanager.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela

Habitat

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The Opal-rumped Tanager is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It occurs in the northern central region of South America with a small range stretching along the southern Brazilian coast. This species inhabits terra firma and low-lying forest and the forest edge. They will also occur in second growth woodlands, shaded plantations, and clearings with scattered trees. It resides in elevations from lowlands to 500 m in Columbia, 1000 m in Peru, and 1200 m in Venezuela, elsewhere in its range it is found below 500 m.

Reproduction

The female builds a usually well concealed cup nest and lays an average of 2 grayish white eggs dotted with dark gray. Incubation is 13-14 days and the chicks fledge after 15-16 days. The male and female feed the nestlings on insects and fruit, and may be assisted by helpers.

Feeding habits

They are generally seen in pairs and small groups and will travel with mixed-species flocks. The Opal-rumbed Tanager forages for food in the upper levels of the forest, mostly crowns of tall trees but also in the sub canopy. But will occasionally descent to fruiting shrubs. Diet consists of small fruits, berries and insects. Tanagers pick insects from leaves, or sometimes in flight, but fruit is a major dietary item.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence in excess of 5,200,000 km2, encompassing two separate regions: the Amazon basin and the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though it is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migration

Sedentary throughout range

Distribution map