{"id":248255,"date":"2026-02-11T06:16:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/?post_type=fauna&#038;p=248255"},"modified":"2026-02-15T16:10:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T21:10:50","slug":"hepatic-tanager","status":"publish","type":"fauna","link":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/faune-2\/hepatic-tanager\/","title":{"rendered":"Hepatic tanager"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Piranga flava<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":249908,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":""},"collection":[],"country":[11],"fauna-group":[27487],"fauna-type":[27217],"class_list":["post-248255","fauna","type-fauna","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","country-colombia","fauna-group-tanagers","fauna-type-birds"],"acf":{"scientific_name":"Piranga flava","animal_description":"The Hepatic tanager (*Piranga flava*) is a robust songbird of the American highlands, uniquely named for the male\u2019s distinctive \"liver-red\" plumage\u2014a deep, brick-toned hue that distinguishes it from its more vibrantly scarlet cousins. While males are characterized by this somber red wash and dusky gray cheek patches, females and juveniles present a contrasting palette of mustard yellow and olive green. A defining feature of this species is its heavy, dark bill and its preference for the cool, open pine-oak forests of mountainous regions, where it often betrays its presence with a low, rhythmic \"chup\" call. Unlike many migratory songbirds, the Hepatic tanager is known for its sturdy build and deliberate foraging style, skillfully navigating the high canopy to hunt for insects and pluck seasonal berries, making it a hardy and captivating fixture of its rugged habitat.","animal_habitat":"This species maintains an expansive distribution that stretches from the southwestern United States and Mexico, through Central America, and across significant portions of South America, including the Andean slopes and the lowland regions of the east. Its range is one of the broadest among its relatives, encompassing a variety of latitudes and elevations from sea level up to high-altitude montane environments.\n\nIn terms of habitat, it primarily frequents open pine, oak, and mixed pine-oak woodlands, especially in the northern parts of its range. Further south, it occupies a broader array of environments such as gallery forests, deciduous woodlands, and semi-open savannas. It generally avoids the interior of dense, humid rainforests, preferring edges and clearings where it can forage across different vegetation layers.","animal_behavior_and_reproduction":"These birds are primarily observed in monogamous pairs or small family units, maintaining a socially monogamous structure during the breeding season. Males are highly territorial, utilizing complex vocalizations and displays of their vibrant plumage to defend their nesting sites from rivals. They typically inhabit open woodlands and montane forests, where they forage for insects and berries within the mid-to-upper canopy, often moving in a deliberate, methodical manner.\n\nDuring the reproductive cycle, the female constructs a shallow, cup-shaped nest made of grass, rootlets, and twigs, often situated on a horizontal branch high above the ground. She typically lays three to five eggs and is solely responsible for incubation, while the male provides food and protection during this period. Once the chicks hatch, both parents share the responsibility of foraging and feeding the brood until they fledge. This cooperative parental care is a vital strategy for ensuring the survival of the young in their competitive forest environments.","diet":"The Hepatic tanager (Piranga flava) maintains an omnivorous diet that shifts seasonally, primarily consisting of a wide variety of insects and small fruits. During the breeding season, these birds are predominantly insectivorous, foraging in the upper canopy to hunt for beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants, and spiders, often employing a \"hawking\" technique to snatch prey directly from the air. An interesting aspect of their foraging behavior is their tendency to follow swarms of army ants to capture the various insects flushed out by the ants' progression. Beyond their protein-rich intake, they consume numerous wild berries and small fruits, such as cherries and grapes, and have even been observed drinking nectar or visiting bird feeders for suet and oranges, showcasing a remarkably adaptable palate.","colors":"The male hepatic tanager displays a muted brick-red plumage with grayish washes on its back and wings, while females are olive-yellow with brighter yellow underparts. Both sexes feature characteristic dusky ear patches and dark bills. Their relatively dull, earthy coloration provides natural camouflage within the shadows of pine-oak forest canopies.","fun_facts":"The Hepatic tanager is a master of \"sting-free\" dining, frequently catching bees and wasps in mid-air and skillfully rubbing them against branches to remove their stingers before swallowing. Its unusual name is derived from the Greek word for liver, referring to the male's distinct, brick-red plumage that is more muted than its bright scarlet relatives. While many songbirds are constantly on the move, this species is a remarkably patient hunter, often sitting perfectly still for long periods in the high canopy to ambush prey. Additionally, birdwatchers often identify them by their unique \"husky\" song, which sounds like a classic robin whistle but with a noticeably scratchy, gravelly tone.","conservation_status_&_efforts":"The Hepatic tanager is currently classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to its vast geographical range across the Americas and a population size that remains large and relatively stable. While it is not globally threatened, local populations face risks from habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly through the conversion of pine-oak forests and montane woodlands into agricultural land or urban developments. In certain regions, the degradation of riparian corridors and the impact of climate change on high-altitude ecosystems also pose potential threats to its breeding and foraging success.\n\nConservation efforts primarily focus on broad-scale habitat preservation and the monitoring of migratory patterns. In the United States, the species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits the unauthorized taking of birds or their nests. International initiatives like Partners in Flight include the Hepatic tanager in long-term monitoring programs to track population health and identify critical habitat areas that require protection from logging and intensive land use. These general avian conservation strategies are currently deemed sufficient to maintain the species' stable status across its range.","endemic":false,"conservation_status":"Least Concern","ebird_link":{"url":"https:\/\/ebird.org\/species\/heptan","title":"View on Ebird","target":"_blank"},"animal_related_page":{"url":"https:\/\/animalia.bio\/hepatic-tanager","title":"View on Animalia","target":"_blank"},"fauna_family":"Thraupidae","fauna_known_nicknames":"Hepatic Tanager, Lowland Hepatic-Tanager, Tooth-billed Tanager","fauna_average_length":"17\u201320 cm \/ 6.7\u20137.9 in","fauna_average_weight":"28\u201348 g \/ 1.0\u20131.7 oz","fauna_wingspan":"28\u201332 cm \/ 11.0\u201312.6 in","fauna_key_physical_feature":"Male's dull brick-red (hepatic) plumage and dark grayish-brown cheek patches","fauna_primary_diet":"Omnivore (Primarily insects and small fruits)","fauna_geographical_range":"Southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America to Northern Argentina","fauna_preferred_habitat":"Open pine-oak woodlands, montane forests, and riparian thickets","fauna_social_structure":"Solitary or in pairs","fauna_breeding_site":"Cup nest built on a horizontal branch of a tree","fauna_conservation_status":"Least Concern (LC)","fauna_population_trend":"Stable","fauna_spanish_name":"Piranga bermeja","fauna_french_name":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna\/248255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fauna"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"collection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/collection?post=248255"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=248255"},{"taxonomy":"fauna-group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna-group?post=248255"},{"taxonomy":"fauna-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/remote-expeditions.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fauna-type?post=248255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}