There are many species of brightly colored red birds that inhabit the tropics. The tropical regions near the equator provide a warm and humid climate that enables a diverse array of plants, animals, and ecosystems to thrive. For birds, the lush tropical forests and vegetation offer an abundant food supply and plenty of shelter. Some of the most spectacularly red-colored tropical birds include tanagers, honeycreepers, woodpeckers, parrots, and Cardinals.
Tanagers
Tanagers are a large family of small to medium-sized passerine birds found primarily in the tropics of Central and South America. There are over 300 different species of tanagers, exhibiting a stunning array of red, yellow, blue, green, purple, black, and orange plumages. Some of the most vibrantly red tanagers include:
- Scarlet Tanager: This tanager species breeds in eastern North America and overwinters in South America. Males are bright red with black wings and tails, while females are yellowish.
- Summer Tanager: Found in the southeastern U.S. and tropics of Central and South America. Males are entirely crimson red, while females are yellowish.
- Flame-colored Tanager: A South American species whose males have striking vermilion red plumage accented with yellow wing bars.
- Red-crowned Ant Tanager: A Central American species with a bright red head, olive-yellow underparts, and black wings and tail.
- Silver-beaked Tanager: Found in the Amazon Basin, this tanager has a scarlet red body, navy blue wings, and a silver-gray beak.
- Crimson-collared Tanager: Native to Colombia and Venezuela, this tanager is blood red with a black face and yellow shoulder patches.
The brilliant reds, contrasting with blacks and yellows, allow tanagers to spot one another in the dim forest understory. Their red coloration likely also plays a role in attracting mates.
Honeycreepers
Honeycreepers comprise another family of small, brightly colored forest birds found in the tropics. Most honeycreeper species are endemic to Hawaii, while others occur in tropical regions of the Caribbean, Central and South America. Some of the reddest and most vibrantly colored honeycreepers include:
- ‘I’iwi: This Hawaiian honeycreeper has long, curved red bill and bright scarlet plumage, making it very distinctive.
- ‘Apapane: Another Hawaiian species with red body plumage, black wings and tail, and curved red bill.
- Red-legged Honeycreeper: Found in South America, it has a red head, breast, belly, and legs contrasting with its back and wings.
- Shining Honeycreeper: Occurs in Central America and has mostly scarlet plumage with black wings and tail.
- Red-throated Ant Tanager: Native to the Amazon Basin, this species has a bright red throat and breast.
The brilliant reds and oranges of honeycreepers may play a role in attracting mates, identifying con-specifics, camouflaging in colorful flowered trees, and visually signaling aggression and dominance.
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers are near ubiquitous across forest ecosystems, including throughout the tropics. Their characteristic hammering behavior helps excavate nesting cavities and find insects beneath tree bark. Some woodpeckers endemic to tropical regions exhibit beautiful red plumage, such as:
- Crimson-bellied Woodpecker: Occurs in Southeast Asia and has dark red underparts and barred black-and-white upperparts.
- Golden-cheeked Woodpecker: Native to Costa Rica and Panama, this species has a red crown and nape.
- Red-crowned Woodpecker: Found across much of South America, it has a red cap and barred black-and-white plumage.
- Red-headed Woodpecker: While more widespread, this woodpecker also inhabits Central American rainforests and has an entirely crimson red head.
The striking red plumage on the heads and bellies of these woodpeckers may help attract mates, identify their species, and serve as visual territorial markers.
Parrots
Parrots comprise many brightly colored tropical bird species. The reddest parrots found in tropical regions include:
- Scarlet Macaw: This large, long-tailed parrot has mostly red plumage with blue and yellow accents. It inhabits forests from Mexico to South America.
- Red-lored Amazon: As the name suggests, this parrot has a red patch above its beak and red plumage on its head, combined with green wings and tail.
- Green-thighed Parrot: Native to islands in the Caribbean, this parrot exhibits bright red plumage on its forehead, shoulders, belly and thighs.
- Red-fan Parrot: This Australian species has a bright red head and belly with contrasting blue markings on its back and wings.
The red plumage exhibited by these parrots likely helps them communicate and find mates. The contrasting colors also provide camouflage when perched in tropical vegetation.
Cardinals
Cardinals comprise a genus of birds found in North and South America known for their crests and red plumage. Tropical cardinal species include:
- Red-capped Cardinal: Found in swamps and mangroves from Panama to Paraguay, it has bright red plumage with a prominent red crest.
- Yellow-billed Cardinal: Native to Colombia and Venezuela, this species has red body plumage and black facial markings.
- Vermilion Cardinal: Occurs in swamps and mangroves of coastal northeastern South America. True to its name, it has uniformly vermilion red plumage.
The bright red coloration of cardinals allows them to spot one another in dense vegetation. Their crest may also help signal dominance and fitness.
Conclusion
The tropics are filled with many red bird species belonging to diverse families like tanagers, honeycreepers, woodpeckers, parrots, and cardinals. Their brilliant red plumage likely plays an important role in camouflage, signaling and communication. The warm, humid climate and abundance of fruits and insects allows these red birds to thrive. So next time you’re in the tropics, keep an eye out for these scarlet-hued avian wonders!
