The Golden-Hooded Tanager also
called Tangara Larvata is a medium sized passerine bird, is a resident breeder
from Southern Mexico South to Western Eucador. The adult bird is about 13cm
long and weigh is 19 g. The male bird has a golden head with a black eyemask
edged with violet blue above and below, however upperparts is black apart from
turquoise shoulders, rump and edgings of the wings and tail. Therefore, the
flanks are blue and central belly is white. Hence, female bird is greenish tinge
to the head, and black speckling on the crown, and white underparts. The infant
bird is much duller, with a green head, dark grey upperparts, off white
underparts and little blue in the plumage.
This species is available in very
large numbers, and does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the
range size criterion with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat
extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe
fragmentation. So, the Golden-hooded Tanager is listed as a bird of Least
Concern by the IUCN. The population estimate around 50,000-499,999 individuals
and it is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or
substantial threats.
The song of Golden-Hooded Tanager is tuneless
rattled series of tick sounds, but its call is sharp tsit. The bird normally
lives 1,500 m altitude in the canopy of dense forests and semi open areas like
clearings, second growth and well vegetated gardens. The Golden-hooded Tanager is
habitually perched on branches or twigs, and often forages for arthropods with
aerial sallies. The beautiful
Golden-Hooded tanagers occur in pairs, family groups or as part of a
mixed-species feeding flock. The bird likes to eat certain small fruit e.g. of
Trophis racemosa (Moraceae) typically swallowed whole, berries and insects are
also taken.
The Golden-Hooded Tanager built nesting usually in a tree fork or
in a bunch of green bananas. The clutch contains 2 brown-blotched white eggs. The
nest, usually constructed by both parents, built with fine plant fibers, dead
leaves, and cobwebs. The both sexes take 4 to 6 weeks in building nest, around
1.5-15 above the ground. The female bird incubates for 13 to 15 days, and male
birds takes care while incubates the eggs. The young juvenile stay in the nest
for 14 to 16 days before fledging. Habitually two broods are raised in a
season, but three have been documented. This bird is often double-brooded, and
the young birds first clutch assist with feeding the second brood of chicks.
Golden-hooded Tanagers have been
observed chasing one another for 15 to 30 min, though repeatedly reiterating
ticking noises. Abruptly, the birds fly off in pairs in two different
directions. The Golden-Hooded Tanager is recognized with different names in
different languages, like in French: Calliste à coiffe
d’or German: Purpurmaskentangare Spanish: Tangara Cabecidorada
Other common names: Golden-headed/Golden-masked Tanager, Hooded Tanager.
Other common names: Golden-headed/Golden-masked Tanager, Hooded Tanager.
