Calyptophilidae: Chat-Tanagers
Western Chat-Tanager. © Rafael V. Arvelo C.
The chat-tanagers are newly recognized family of songbirds endemic to Hispaniola. They were formerly classified as atypical “tanagers” (i.e., members of the Thraupidae) but look and behave like some of the foliage-gleaners and spinetails that are widespread in tropical forests of Central and South America. Genetic studies of relatedness show that they are not closely related to either of those groups, but instead are a separate branch that diverged from their nearest relatives, the spindalises and Puerto Rican Tanager, about ten to twelve million years ago.
Eastern Chat-Tanager. © Dax M. Román E.
Formerly regarded as a single species, the Chat Tanager, the family has been reclassified as two species based on differences in size, structure, coloration of bare parts, behavior, and vocalizations. Further subdivision of the family is possible, pending further research into isolated, little-known forms of both species. Such research will be difficult, however, as two of the three isolated forms have not been reported in recent decades and may be extinct.
References
Almonte, J.; Fernández, E. 2002. Eastern Calyptophilus frugivorus and Western Chat-tanagers C. tertius. Cotinga 17: 95-96.
Barker, F.K., K.J. Burns, J. Klicka, S.M. Lanyon, and I.J. Lovette. 2013. Going to extremes: contrasting rates of diversification in a recent radiation of New World passerine birds. Systematic Biology 62:298-320.
Barker, F.K., K.J. Burns, J. Klicka, S.M. Lanyon, and I.J. Lovette. 2015. New insights into New World biogeography: An integrated view from the phylogeny of blackbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tanagers, warblers, and allies. Auk 132:333-348.
Roberson, D. 2017. Bird Families of the World: Chat-Tanagers: Calyptophilidae, http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/chat-tanagers.html. (Posted May 17, 2017. Accessed June 1, 2019.)