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Fulvous-headed Tanager Thlypopsis fulviceps Scientific name definitions

Steven Hilty
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated July 3, 2013

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

The Fulvous-headed Tanager is a range restricted species found locally in Colombia and Venezuela. With its rufous-chestnut head and sharply contrasting gray body, this species is unlikely to be confused with other tanagers within its range. There are currently four recognized subspecies, some of which appear to be geographically isolated. Often seen in dense thickets, vine tangles, and forest edge, this species also occurs in humid woodland, and suburban areas. A fairly social species, the Fulvous-headed Tanager can be seen individually, in pairs, or in groups of up to 10 individuals foraging for insects and berries. They are also known to occasionally join mixed species foraging flocks. Despite its restricted geographic range, the Fulvous-headed Tanager's population is believed to be stable and has not been placed on any threatened species lists.

Field Identification

12 cm; 11–13 g. A small grey tanager with conspicuous chestnut head and thin bill. Male nominate race has entire head, nape and throat rufous-chestnut (forming hood), throat slightly paler chestnut; upperparts, including upperwing-coverts, uppertail-coverts and tail grey; primary coverts dusky, flight-feathers dusky, edged grey; breast light grey, becoming whitish on centre of belly and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill greyish above, often paler below at base; legs horn-grey. Female is similar to male, but throat paler, more rufous-buff. Juvenile undescribed. Race obscuriceps is very like nominate, but slightly darker grey above; meridensis also is very similar to nominate, but paler grey below, and undertail-coverts tinged grey; intensa differs in having head chestnut, darker than on other races, and undertail-coverts cinnamon.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

Race unknown (presumably obscuriceps), from upper R Frío region on W slope of Santa Marta Mts, in N Colombia (1).

SUBSPECIES

Thlypopsis fulviceps fulviceps Scientific name definitions

Thlypopsis fulviceps fulviceps
T. f. fulviceps

Distribution

mountains of N Venezuela (Carabobo E to Miranda; NE Anzoátegui, W Sucre and N Monagas).
SUBSPECIES

Thlypopsis fulviceps intensa Scientific name definitions

Thlypopsis fulviceps intensa
T. f. intensa

Distribution

E slope of E Andes in N Colombia (Norte de Santander).
SUBSPECIES

Thlypopsis fulviceps obscuriceps Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Sierra de Perijá, on Colombia–Venezuela border.
SUBSPECIES

Thlypopsis fulviceps meridensis Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Andes of Mérida and N Táchira, in W Venezuela.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Canopy vines and shrubby vine-tangled borders of moist to humid forest, second-growth woodland, and shrubby gardens in urban areas, e.g. Caracas (Venezuela). Most numerous in moist to semi-humid forest, e.g. S slope of coastal range below Rancho Grande Biological Station (Venezuela); numbers decrease sharply in more humid zones. At 1500–2300 m in Colombia and 750–2000 m in Venezuela.

Movement

Apparently resident.

Diet and Foraging

Insects, including caterpillars; occasionally small berries, especially of Melastomataceae. One or two individuals, occasionally up to about five (possibly family parties), regularly associated with mixed-species flocks in canopy inside forest, and often much lower along forest borders. Notably active and alert, searching for food items mostly on leaves of various sizes, by perch-gleaning, reaching downwards from perch, clinging sideways or upside-down to leaves, pulling or tugging to extract prey, and often probing curled and hanging dead leaves. Occasionally sallies to undersurface of leaves.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song, infrequently heard during morning hours, a high “chi chi cht-cht-tit-t-t-t-t-t-t”, accelerating and trailing off. Calls insignificant, high “tsit” and “chik” notes; rapid “chip” and “tsitt” notes when excited.

Breeding

One bird in breeding condition in Apr in Perijá Mts, and three in Nov in Norte de Santander. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Caripe–Paria Region EBA, Cordillera de la Costa Central EBA, Cordillera de Mérida EBA and Colombian East Andes EBA. Uncommon to locally fairly common. Distribution somewhat spotty, perhaps owing to narrow habitat preferences. Population trends not documented, but likely to show a decline. Deforestation, fires and human colonization have resulted in loss of at least half of the species’ habitat within its range, which has consequently contracted. Protected areas within its relatively small range in Venezuela include Henry Pittier National Park and Yacambú National Park.
Distribution of the Fulvous-headed Tanager - Range Map
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  • Migration
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Distribution of the Fulvous-headed Tanager

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Hilty, S. (2020). Fulvous-headed Tanager (Thlypopsis fulviceps), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.fuhtan1.01
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