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Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) - HBW 16, p. 313

French: Piranga écarlate German: Scharlachtangare Spanish: Piranga Escarlata

Taxonomy: Tanagra olivacea J. F. Gmelin, 1789, New York, USA.
Molecular-genetic evidence indicates that this genus forms a monophyletic group with Habia and Chlorothraupis, and that all three are more closely related to cardinals (Cardinalidae) than to true tanagers. This species has in the past been regarded as most closely related to P. ludoviciana, in part because of limited hybridization with that species, but cladistic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b gene) indicates that the two are not each other’s closest relative. P. ludoviciana appears to be most closely related to P. bidentata and th.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Tanagra olivacea J. F. Gmelin, 1789, New York, USA.
Molecular-genetic evidence indicates that this genus forms a monophyletic group with Habia and Chlorothraupis, and that all three are more closely related to cardinals (Cardinalidae) than to true tanagers. This species has in the past been regarded as most closely related to P. ludoviciana, in part because of limited hybridization with that species, but cladistic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b gene) indicates that the two are not each other’s closest relative. P. ludoviciana appears to be most closely related to P. bidentata and the “P. flava group”, the three forming a phylogenetic clade; depending on analyses used, the present species would be either a sister taxon to this clade, or sister to this clade and P. rubra. Monotypic.

Distribution: Breeds SE Canada (SE Manitoba E to S Quebec) S in E USA to N Arkansas, N Alabama, W North Carolina and Virginia and W to C South Dakota and C Kansas. Migrates to NW South America, mainly in W Amazon Basin from SE Colombia, E Ecuador and N Peru E to W Brazil and S to C Bolivia.

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