Black-headed Saltator
Encyclopedia
The Black-headed Saltator, Saltator atriceps, is a seedeating bird. Traditionally placed in the cardinal family
(Cardinalidae), it actually seems to be closer to the tanager
s (Thraupidae). It breeds from central Mexico
to eastern Panama
.
The genus
Saltator
is apparently polyphyletic. Whether the present species will remain in Saltator or eventually be moved to another genus remains to be seen. Somewhat similar in coloration to the Buff-throated Saltator
, the genus' type species
(which would retain the genus name), it resembles the probably well distant Black-throated Saltator
or even the Golden-billed Saltator
in other aspects.
This bird is on average 24 cm long and weighs 85 g. The adult has a slate-grey head with a whitish supercilium
. The upperparts are yellowish green, the underparts are pale grey, and the throat is white edged with black. The thick convex bill is black and the legs are brown. Young birds are duller, and have mottling on the breast and brown markings on the underparts. This species is similar to the Buff-throated Saltator
, but is larger and has a darker head and paler underparts.
The common call is a raucous deeeer. The song is a loud scratchy cher cher jur jur weeee, often given by males as a duet.
The Black-headed Saltator is a species of dense vegetation. The Black-headed Saltator feeds on fruit, buds, nectar and slow-moving insects. It forages at low and mid levels, sometimes with mixed species flocks
.
The two black-marked pale blue eggs per clutch
measure some 24–34 mm long by about 18-23.5 mm wide and weigh about 4.9-5.5 grams each. They are laid in a bulky grass-lined cup nest up to 3 m high in a thicket between April and July.
Cardinal (bird)
The Cardinals or Cardinalidae are a family of passerine birds found in North and South America. The South American cardinals in the genus Paroaria are placed in another family, the Thraupidae ....
(Cardinalidae), it actually seems to be closer to the tanager
Tanager
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux...
s (Thraupidae). It breeds from central Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to eastern Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.
The genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Saltator
Saltator
Saltator is a genus of songbirds of the Americas. They are traditionally placed in the cardinal family but now seem to be closer to tanagers . Their English name is also saltator, except for two dark species known by the more general grosbeak.Saltator is Latin for "leaper" or "dancer"...
is apparently polyphyletic. Whether the present species will remain in Saltator or eventually be moved to another genus remains to be seen. Somewhat similar in coloration to the Buff-throated Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
The Buff-throated Saltator, Saltator maximus, is a seedeating bird. Traditionally placed in the cardinal family , it actually seems to be closer to the tanagers . It breeds from southeastern Mexico to western Ecuador and northeastern Brazil.This is the type species of Saltator...
, the genus' type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
(which would retain the genus name), it resembles the probably well distant Black-throated Saltator
Black-throated Saltator
The Black-throated Saltator is a species of songbird. Traditionally placed in the Cardinalidae family, it probably belongs in the Thraupidae instead....
or even the Golden-billed Saltator
Golden-billed Saltator
The Golden-billed Saltator is a species of cardinal in the Emberizidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay; also the regions of the southern pantanal, along the Paraguay River.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests,...
in other aspects.
This bird is on average 24 cm long and weighs 85 g. The adult has a slate-grey head with a whitish supercilium
Supercilium
The supercilium is a plumage feature found on the heads of some bird species. It is a stripe which runs from the base of the bird's beak above its eye, finishing somewhere towards the rear of the bird's head. Also known as an "eyebrow", it is distinct from the eyestripe, which is a line which runs...
. The upperparts are yellowish green, the underparts are pale grey, and the throat is white edged with black. The thick convex bill is black and the legs are brown. Young birds are duller, and have mottling on the breast and brown markings on the underparts. This species is similar to the Buff-throated Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
The Buff-throated Saltator, Saltator maximus, is a seedeating bird. Traditionally placed in the cardinal family , it actually seems to be closer to the tanagers . It breeds from southeastern Mexico to western Ecuador and northeastern Brazil.This is the type species of Saltator...
, but is larger and has a darker head and paler underparts.
The common call is a raucous deeeer. The song is a loud scratchy cher cher jur jur weeee, often given by males as a duet.
The Black-headed Saltator is a species of dense vegetation. The Black-headed Saltator feeds on fruit, buds, nectar and slow-moving insects. It forages at low and mid levels, sometimes with mixed species flocks
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
.
The two black-marked pale blue eggs per clutch
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
measure some 24–34 mm long by about 18-23.5 mm wide and weigh about 4.9-5.5 grams each. They are laid in a bulky grass-lined cup nest up to 3 m high in a thicket between April and July.
External links
- Black-headed Saltator videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Black-headed photo gallery VIREO
- Photo-Medium Res; Article tekipaki–"Buntings, Saltators, and Cardinals"
