Mitrospingidae Mitrospingid Tanagers
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Introduction
This small but eclectic family contains four “tanager” species that have been united recently by molecular analyses. Three of the four resemble thraupid tanagers set in muted grays, olives, and browns, while the fourth is bold, black-and-white, with a bright red bill. All are gregarious insectivores that supplement their diets with fruit. As they forage, moving through the vegetation in loose bands over large ranges, they give a series of sharp strident calls, sometimes aggregated rhythmically into a song. Some of the species often form mixed-species flocks, whereas others seem not to mingle. They all jump or bound rather heavily through the branches.
Habitat
The mitrospingids live in tropical forest and associated edge habitats, from sea level up to low mountains.
Diet and Foraging
These tanagers feed on a variety of foods, particularly insects gleaned from leaves and branches, as well as other invertebrates escaping from army ant swarms. All species supplement their diets with fruits of many kinds.
Breeding
Very little information is available on the breeding biology of these four species. Only the Dusky-faced Tanager Mitrospingus cassinii has been studied; observations of at least three individuals feeding chicks at a nest suggest that this species breeds cooperatively. The Dusky-faced Tanager builds an open cup nest constructed from flower stems, rootlets, and black fungal filaments that is slung between two upright branches. During the single study of this species’ breeding biology, only a single adult participated in nest construction. Females lay 1 or 2 eggs. Both male and female, and helpers if present, are active in feeding the chicks in the nest.
Conservation Status
No mitrospingid species faces immediate conservation concerns.
Systematics History
Mitrospingidae is part of the New World radiation of nine-primaried oscines within the superfamily Passeroidea. Like many newly recognized families within the New World passeroid radiation, the mitrospingids were long considered part of Thraupidae. However, genetic evidence suggests that they are not included within Thraupidae (Klicka et al. 2007), and are instead likely sister to the clade made up of Cardinalidae plus Thraupidae (Barker et al. 2013).
Conservation Status
Least Concern |
100%
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Near Threatened |
0%
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Vulnerable |
0%
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Endangered |
0%
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Critically Endangered |
0%
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Extinct in the Wild |
0%
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Extinct |
0%
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Not Evaluated |
0%
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Data Deficient |
0%
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Unknown |
0%
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Data provided by IUCN (2023) Red List. More information