Puerto Rican tanager

Puerto Rican tanager
Nesospingus speculiferus & Mecocerculus calopterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: incertae sedis
Genus: Nesospingus
P.L. Sclater, 1885
Species: N. speculiferus
Binomial name
Nesospingus speculiferus
(Lawrence, 1875)

The Puerto Rican tanager (Nesospingus speculiferus) is a small passerine bird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico. It is the only member of the Nesospingus It has historically been placed in the tanager family, but recent studies indicate another placement.

On average the Puerto Rican tanager measures 16 cm and weighs 36 g. These birds are found in groups of about 12 individuals. They are usually found in dense vegetation. This tanager roosts in palm trees or bamboo. The Puerto Rican tanager eats palm fruits, ants and species from the Cecropia genus. Evidence shows that they also eat spiders, lizards and frogs. Its cup-shaped nest is no higher than 9 m in trees. Cream colored eggs speckled with a darker shade of brown. The species breeds from January to August.

See also

References

External audio
Bird Call
Puerto Rican tanager vocals with coqui in background
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