Iridosornis is a genus of Neotropical birds in the tanager family Thraupidae

These birds live in the Andes mostly at high altitudes. Their plumage is mainly blue and all of them have contrasting patches of yellow.[1]

Taxonomy and species list

The genus Iridosornis was introduced in 1844 by the French naturalist René Lesson with the golden-crowned tanager as the type species.[2][3] The name combines the Ancient Greek iris meaning "rainbow" with ornis meaning "bird".[4] A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that this genus had a sister relationship to the vermilion tanager which is placed in its own monospecific genus Calochaetes.[5]

The genus contains five species:[6]

Genus Iridosornis – Lesson, 1844 – five species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Purplish-mantled tanager

Iridosornis porphyrocephalus
Sclater, PL, 1856 		Colombia and Ecuador
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Yellow-throated tanager

Iridosornis analis
(Tschudi, 1844) 		Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Golden-collared tanager

Iridosornis jelskii
Cabanis, 1873 		Bolivia and Peru
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Golden-crowned tanager

Iridosornis rufivertex
(Lafresnaye, 1842) 		Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


Yellow-scarfed tanager

Iridosornis reinhardti
Sclater, PL, 1865 		Peru
Map of range 		Size:

Habitat:

Diet: 		 LC 


References

  1. ^ Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Birds of South America: Passerines. Helm Field Guides. London: Christopher Helm. p. 605. ISBN 978-1-408-11342-4.
  2. ^ Lesson, René (1844). "Catalogue des oiseaux nouveaux ou peu connus de la collection Abeillé". L'Echo du Monde Savant (in French). Part 2. Col. 80.
  3. ^ Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1970). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 13. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 336.
  4. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. ^ Burns, K.J.; Shultz, A.J.; Title, P.O.; Mason, N.A.; Barker, F.K.; Klicka, J.; Lanyon, S.M.; Lovette, I.J. (2014). "Phylogenetics and diversification of tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), the largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 75: 41–77. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.02.006. PMID 24583021.
  6. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Tanagers and allies". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 3 November 2020.