{"id":7160,"date":"2014-06-18T12:32:01","date_gmt":"2014-06-18T12:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/?p=7160"},"modified":"2015-05-08T11:38:40","modified_gmt":"2015-05-08T15:38:40","slug":"the-top-10-most-amazing-looking-and-sounding-tanagers-as-determined-by-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/the-top-10-most-amazing-looking-and-sounding-tanagers-as-determined-by-science\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 10 Most Amazing Looking and Sounding Tanagers (as Determined by Science!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><div class=\"wp-block-group sidebar-alignright sidebar-space order-bottom\"><!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><span class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\" id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3\"><span class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3\" id=\"hs-cta-a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3\"><!--[if lte IE 8]><div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div><![endif]--><a href=\"http:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/95627\/a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3\" ><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img\" id=\"hs-cta-img-a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3\" style=\"border-width:0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/95627\/a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3.png\"  alt=\"New self-paced course: Learn How to Identify Bird Songs, Click to Learn More\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/a><\/span><script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(95627, 'a8fe3c9a-217b-40fd-b1ff-2bb76ebe2cf3', {}); <\/script><\/span><!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code -->\r\n<!--<span class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\" id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd\">\r\n    <span class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd\" id=\"hs-cta-394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd\">-->\r\n        <!--[if lte IE 8]><div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div><![endif]-->\r\n        <!--<a href=\"http:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/95627\/394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd\"  target=\"_blank\" ><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img\" id=\"hs-cta-img-394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd\" style=\"border-width:0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/95627\/394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd.png\"  alt=\"Join the Cornell Lab\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/a>\r\n    <\/span>\r\n    <script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script>\r\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n        hbspt.cta.load(95627, '394b2cc2-4447-4677-b18b-d2f2de5b57cd', {});\r\n    <\/script>\r\n<\/span>-->\r\n<!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code -->\r\n\r\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In a study just out today, Cornell Lab graduate student Nick Mason examines <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/2014\/06\/20\/maybe-birds-can-have-it-all-dazzling-colors-and-pretty-songs-too\/\">whether birds can be both gaudy and melodious at once<\/a>. Or to put it more precisely: do bird species have to make trade-offs when they evolve complex plumages and complex songs?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In the course of answering this question, Mason and his coauthors at San Diego State University had to figure out a quantitative way to measure complexity. This was a scientific study; they couldn&#8217;t just eyeball it. In the end, they measured the plumage of 303 species of tanagers using a spectrophotometer, and they analyzed 2,700 recordings of songs. The team analyzed 9 separate plumage variables and 20 song variables to develop a measure of &#8220;complexity&#8221; for both plumage and sound.\u00a0Mason became the largest single user of <a href=\"http:\/\/macaulaylibrary.org\">Macaulay Library<\/a> recordings in history.<\/p>\n<p>When the calculations were finished and the computers had cooled off the team discovered that there seem to be no widespread constraints on the evolution of showiness. The result contradicts a long-held notion that traces back to Charles Darwin. Birds, or tanagers at least, can in fact be simultaneously beautiful and mellifluous, or drab and hoarse, or anything in between.<\/p>\n<p>A happy side-effect of the research is that all that number-crunching produced actual objective rankings of these glorious (and, let&#8217;s face it, not-so-glorious) birds. So that now, thanks to modern science, we can go beyond <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.aba.org\/2014\/06\/open-mic-chosen-by-the-pros-20-of-the-best-birds-on-perus-world-birding-rally.html\">mere gut feelings about a region&#8217;s &#8220;greatest&#8221; birds<\/a> and define some quantifiable, repeatable top-10 lists. Here they are\u2014click through to our <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/home\">Neotropical Birds<\/a> website <strong>to<\/strong> <strong>see photos, and listen to their songs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Most Complex Plumage<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The study&#8217;s plumage complexity score accounted for the fact that birds&#8217; eyes have a fourth color receptor that can see into the UV spectrum\u2014meaning they can perceive a whole range of colors that we can&#8217;t. The complexity scores account for color brightness, plus the range of different colors a single bird shows, and other variables. &#8220;Most people would consider a cardinal to be pretty colorful,&#8221; Mason said. &#8220;but they have a kind of uniformly red coloration. That wouldn&#8217;t score as high on our index as one of the tanagers that has the whole rainbow of green, blue, red, purple.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=610796\">Paradise Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n2. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=610956\">Opal-rumped Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n3. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=605516\">Glistening-green Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n4. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=603596\">Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n5. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=608396\">Golden-hooded Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n6. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=611276\">Green-headed Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n7. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=602636\">Black-chested Mountain-Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n8. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=611116\">Opal-crowned Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n9. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=603916\">Grass-green Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n10. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=603756\">Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Most Complex Songsters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Birds process sound at a much faster rate than humans can\u2014many of the songs that were rated as complex are hard for us to even hear. &#8220;They sound like they&#8217;re just doing this little twittering thing,&#8221; Mason said. &#8220;But there are very quick changes in frequency up and down, sweeping across really long bandwidths. We can&#8217;t perceive those changes, so it sounds like a rapid chip. But the birds can actually hear that change in frequency, and it probably means something to them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=635596\">Merida Flowerpiercer<\/a><br \/>\n2. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=635116\">Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer<\/a><br \/>\n3. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=585196\">Slaty-backed Hemispingus<\/a><br \/>\n4. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=637356\">Masked Flowerpiercer<\/a><br \/>\n5. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=585356\">Rufous-browed Hemispingus<\/a><br \/>\n6. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=636076\">Gray-bellied Flowerpiercer<\/a><br \/>\n7. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=581516\">Bananaquit<\/a><br \/>\n8. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=603276\">Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n9. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=585676\">Drab Hemispingus<\/a><br \/>\n10. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=589676\">Plushcap<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Simplest Plumage<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=635756\">Black Flowerpiercer<\/a><br \/>\n2. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=630476\">Sooty Grassquit<\/a><br \/>\n3. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=632716\">Large Cactus-Finch<\/a> (one of the Darwin&#8217;s finches!)<br \/>\n4. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=661516\">Black-throated Grosbeak<\/a><br \/>\n5. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=617836\">Carbonated Sierra-Finch<\/a><br \/>\n6. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=594636\">White-shouldered Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n7. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=623436\">Variable Seedeater<\/a><br \/>\n8. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=631916\">Small Ground-Finch<\/a>\u00a0 (one of the Darwin&#8217;s finches!)<br \/>\n9. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=617196\">Plumbeous Sierra-Finch<\/a><br \/>\n10. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=634156\">Slaty Finch<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Simplest Songsters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>1. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=625516\">White-bellied Seedeater<\/a><br \/>\n2. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=600556\">Yellow-winged Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n3. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=661036\">Black-winged Saltator<\/a><br \/>\n4. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=604076\">Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n5. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=640396\">Red-crested Cardinal<\/a><br \/>\n6. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=629676\">Paramo Seedeater<\/a><br \/>\n7. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=661356\">Slate-colored Grosbeak<\/a><br \/>\n8. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=661516\">Black-throated Grosbeak<\/a><br \/>\n9. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=598476\">Brazilian Tanager<\/a><br \/>\n10. <a href=\"http:\/\/neotropical.birds.cornell.edu\/portal\/species\/overview?p_p_spp=604236\">Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Even a casual look over these top 10 lists echoes the study&#8217;s finding that tanagers don&#8217;t seem to sacrifice one characteristic (plumage or song) in order to become more elaborate in the other. For example, two closely related mountain-tanagers appear in the &#8220;most complex&#8221; lists of both plumage (Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager) and song (Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager). That lineage has managed to excel in both areas. At the same time, Black-throated Grosbeak is on the list of both simplest plumage and simplest song. The simplicity of its plumage does not seem to have freed it to become a stronger singer, and vice versa.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If there were going to be any group of birds at all that would show this trade-off, the tanagers would be a very good candidate, because there\u2019s all this variation in song and plumage complexity,\u201d Mason said. \u201cFrom a holistic perspective the idea of a trade-off does seem to fit the bill. But when we dive into it and do some rigorous statistics, it turns out that there is no overall trend.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a study just out today, Cornell Lab graduate student Nick Mason examines whether birds can be both gaudy and melodious at once. Or to put it more precisely: do<a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.allaboutbirds.org\/news\/the-top-10-most-amazing-looking-and-sounding-tanagers-as-determined-by-science\/\" title=\"ReadThe Top 10 Most Amazing Looking and Sounding Tanagers (as Determined by Science!)\">&#8230; Read more 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