www.ComingsBirds.com/Arizona2018

to the Beauty of Birds

The Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the Cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.

The common name hepatic means "liver-coloured", namely, brownish-red. The specific name flāva is Latin for yellow or golden. The habits of the hepatic tanager are similar to those of the western tanager.

It ranges from the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and locally in southern California and Colorado) to northern Argentina.
There are three subspecies groups, which may be separate species:
the hepatica group, breeding from Nicaragua north, in pine and pine-oak forests and partially migratory.

The lutea group (sometimes known as the tooth-billed tanager, resident from Costa Rica to northern and western South America in highland forest edges.

The flava group (sometimes known as the red tanager, resident in open woods elsewhere in South America.

Hepatic Tanager

Hepatic Tanager-20.jpg

Hepatic Tanager-21.jpg

Hepatic Tanager-24.jpg