Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo)

Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Ramphocelus
Species: R. carbo

Identification
The Silver-beaked Tanager, Ramphocelus carbo, is a medium-sized passerine bird. It is about 18 cm long and weigh 25 g. Adult males are velvety crimson black with a deep crimson throat and breast. The upper mandible of the bill is black, but the enlarged lower mandible is bright silver in appearance. The bill is pointed upwards in display. The female is much duller, with brownish upperparts, reddish brown underparts and a black bill.

There is considerable plumage variation between the various subspecies, differing mainly in the degree of contrast between the upperparts and the throat and breast.

Habitat
It occurs in light woodland and cultivation. The bulky cup nest is usually built in a bush, and the normal clutch is two green-blue eggs blotched with black-brown. The female incubates the eggs for 11-12 days to hatching, with about the same time again before the chicks fledge.

These are social birds which eat mainly fruit, but insects are also taken. The Silver-beaked Tanager is often seen in groups of six to ten, frequently giving a call described as cheeng. Its song is a slow thin kick-wick.