Piranga

Piranga is a genus of birds long placed in the tanager family, but now considered members of the cardinal family, Cardinalidae. The genus name Piranga is from Tupi Tijepiranga, the name for an unknown small bird.[1]

This article is about the bird genus. For the Brazilian municipality, see Piranga, Minas Gerais.

Piranga
Scarlet tanager
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Cardinalidae
Genus:	Piranga Vieillot, 1808
Species
See species list

Similar in shape and habits to the true tanagers, their coloration betrays their actual relationships. They are essentially red, orange or yellow all over, except the tail and wings and in some species also the back. Such extensive lipochrome coloration (except on the belly) is very rare in true tanagers, but is widespread among the Cardinalidae.

These songbirds are found high in tree canopies, and are not very gregarious in their breeding areas. Piranga species pick insects from leaves, or sometimes in flight. They will also take some fruit. Several species are migratory, breeding in North America and wintering in the tropics.

Species in taxonomic order

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Piranga roseogularis	Rose-throated tanager	Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico
	Piranga flava	Hepatic tanager	southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and locally in southern California and Colorado) to northern Argentina.
	Piranga olivacea	Scarlet tanager	northwestern South America, passing through Central America
	Piranga rubra	Summer tanager	southern United States, extending as far north as Iowa. These birds migrate to Mexico, Central America and northern South America
	Piranga ludoviciana	Western tanager	southeastern Alaska south to northern Baja California, Mexico. Western tanagers extend east to western Texas and north through central New Mexico, central Colorado, extreme northwest Nebraska, and areas of western South Dakota to southern Northwest Territories, Canada
	Piranga bidentata	Flame-colored tanager	Mexico, and throughout Central America to northern Panama
	Piranga leucoptera	White-winged tanager	Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela
	Piranga erythrocephala	Red-headed tanager	Mexico
	Piranga rubriceps	Red-hooded tanager	Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru

References

1. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.