Palm tanager

This article is about the widespread Central and South American species of tanager and is not to be confused with the Hispaniola-endemic genus Phaenicophilus, the members of which are sometimes known as palm tanagers or palm-tanagers.

The palm tanager (Thraupis palmarum) is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Nicaragua south to Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern Brazil.^[2][3] It also breeds on Trinidad and, since 1962, on Tobago. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is known by colloquial names such as the "palmiste," on American Spanish countries (Colombian pron: "pūlmist"), Brazil Pipira-verde (Portuguese pron: "pəəpəərā-værd"), and the "green jean" in American English.^[4]

Palm tanager
T. p. melanoptera, Trinidad
T. p. melanoptera, Colombia
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Thraupidae
Genus:	Thraupis
Species:	T. palmarum
Binomial name
Thraupis palmarum (Wied, 1821)

Description

Adult palm tanagers are 19 cm (7.5 in) long and weigh 36 g (1.3 oz). They are grey to dull olive-green. The flight feathers are blackish, and the long tail is blackish edged with green. A yellow wingbar shows in flight. Sexes are similar, although females may be somewhat paler.

Range and habitat

It occurs in semi-open areas including cultivation and gardens. The bulky cup nest is built in a tree, usually a palm, or under the eaves of a house, and the female incubates three, sometimes two, brown-blotched cream eggs for 14 days, with another 17 days to fledging.

Behavior

Palm tanagers are social, restless but unwary birds which eat a wide variety of small fruit. They also regularly take some nectar, flower petals, and insects, including caterpillars.^[5] The song is fast and squeaky.