The typical Honeycreepers are small birds and members of the large Tanager family Thraupidae. This family includes three major groups, almost 100 genera, and 240 species and thus needs to be broken into smaller parts. On part consists of Group 2. “Typical” colorful Tanagers. There are two subgroups consisting of Honeycreepers.
Green & Golden-collared Honeycreepers:
Genus Chlorophanes – Green Honeycreeper
Genus Iridophanes – Golden-collared Honeycreeper
Typical honeycreepers and relatives:
Genus Tersina – Swallow Tanager
Genus Cyanerpes, the typical honeycreepers (4 species)
Genus Pseudodacnis – Turquoise Dacnis-tanager
Genus Dacnis, the dacnises (8 species)
The genus Cyanerpes or typical honeycreepers consist of the following 4 species, including the Purple Honeycreeper.
Short-billed Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes nitidus
Shining Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes lucidus
Purple Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes caeruleus
Red-legged Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus
A group of Honeycreepers called the Hawaiian Honeycreepers belong to a different family Fringillidae of seed eating songbirds, and subfamily Drepanidinae (see Hawaiian Honeycreepers)