White-Lined Tanager (Tachyphonus Rufus)

Male White-Lined Tanager (Tachyphonus Rufus) (3)
Male

Female White-Lined Tanager (Tachyphonus Rufus) (11)
Female

Commonly called 'Singing Angels' for their lustrous song, these birds are fairly easy to spot. The male is black with white wing coverts which are easily seen in flight (thus the nickname 'Parson'), and its larger size easily differentiates it from the Blue-black grassquit and Shiny Cowbird. The female is also easy to spot, a rufous brown bird of the same size. The immature birds are slightly smaller and have the female's coloring.

There is only one mating pair near the feeder at any given time, and they do eat fruit. However, their actions on the feeder are very different when compared to other tanagers: The male will land first and aggressively move any other birds in the area by opening its beak and half spreading its wings. Interestingly, the male will not land when there is a Tropical Mockingbird present, instead waiting for the other tanagers to displace the mockingbird - then moving in to fend the others off. Once space has been cleared, the female will land and feed - the male will not feed much, if at all, until the female has left. Once the female has left, other birds are safe to approach.

This is the only bird I have seen with such clear male and female behavior. They visit the feeder a few times a day, usually in the early morning and in the late afternoon.

Wikipedia reference: White-lined Tanager
More of My Pictures: here.
Other Pictures: here.

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