Birds Guide

Thraupis
Blue-gray Tanager
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Thraupidae   Genus: Thraupis Boie, 1826
species
see species list

Thraupis is a genus of birds of the tanager family occuring from Mexico to Argentina. Some are familiar species with large ranges.

These tanagers are mainly found in semi-open habitats including plantations and open woodland, but some will venture into towns. They feed from medium to high levels in trees, taking mainly fruit, with some nectar, and insects which may be taken in flight.

The pair builds a usually well concealed cup nest, but the female incubates alone. The Blue-gray and Palm Tanagers will nest in buildings.

Thraupis tanagers have squeaky call notes and songs which consist of 5-10 repetitions of a single or double note.

Species in taxonomic order

• Blue-gray Tanager, Thraupis episcopus
  Glaucous Tanager, Thraupis glaucocolpa
  Sayaca Tanager, Thraupis sayaca
  Azure-shouldered Tanager, Thraupis cyanoptera
  Golden-chevroned Tanager, Thraupis ornata
  Blue-capped Tanager, Thraupis cyanocephala
  Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Thraupis bonariensis
  Yellow-winged Tanager, Thraupis abbas
  Palm Tanager, Thraupis palmarum

References

• ffrench, Birds of Trinidad and Tobago ISBN 0-7136-6759-1
• Hilty, Birds of Venezuela, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• Morton, Isler & Isler, Tanagers ISBN 0-7136-5116-4
• Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-0814-9600-4