TANAGER, the name of birds of the family Touzgridae, allied to the Fringillidae (see FINCH), and distinguished by their feebler conformation and more exposed nostrils. They are con fined to the New World, and are specially characteristic of the tropical forests of Central and South America, only in a small pro portion reaching Mexico, and four species breeding in the U.S.A.
The tanagers have been examined systematically by P. L. Sclater ; he admits the existence of 375 species, which he arranges in 59 genera, forming six subfamilies, Procniatinae, Euphoniinae, Tana grinae, Lamprotinae, Phoenicophilinae, and Pitylinae. These are of very unequal extent, for, while the first of them consists of but a single species, Procnias tersa, the third includes more than 200.
Nearly all are birds of small size, the largest barely exceeding a song-thrush. Most of them are remarkable for their gaudy colouring, and this is especially the case in those forming the genus Tanagra. Generally among the tanagers, both sexes are nearly alike in plumage. Insects, especially in the larval condition, and berries afford the greater part of their food. They have a
pleasing song, and build a shallow nest, in which the eggs, gener ally three in number, and of a greenish-blue marked with brown and purple, are laid.
The scarlet tanager (Piranga erythromelas) nests in the eastern U.S.A., west to the Plains and north to New Brunswick and Mani toba, wintering in South and Central America. The male is scarlet, with black wings and tail ; the female is olive green, lighter below, with dusky wings and tail. The song is reminiscent of the Ameri can robin, but is inferior.
The summer tanager (P. rubra) does not reach farther north than New Jersey and Kansas. The male is rosy red, the female olive-yellow above, dusky saffron below. The song is superior to that of P. erythromelas.
The remaining species, P. ludoviciana, the males of which are mostly yellow and black, with the head only red, does not appear eastward of the Missouri plains, and has not so northerly a range. Another species, P. hepatica, has shown itself within the limits of the United States. In all these the females are plainly attired.