Order
Passeriformes
Family
Phaenicophilidae
Genus
Phaenicophilus
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager Phaenicophilus poliocephalus

Jason M. Townsend
Version: 1.0 — Published March 16, 2009

Appearance

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager is entirely gray below with yellow-green wings, back and tail. Its gray crown, nape and throat contrast sharply with a black facial mask and bright white chin.  Look particularly for this bright white chin or upper throat area that contrasts sharply with the gray lower throat and underparts to distinguish this species from Black-crowned Palm-Tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum).  Three white spots – in front of and immediately above and below the eye – contribute to a spectacled appearance and give the species its common name in both Spanish and French: cuatro ojos or quatre-yeux, “four-eyes.”

Similar Species

The Black-crowned Palm-Tanager can be distinguished by its entirely black crown and more washed-out gray underparts that blend into an entirely white throat area but do not contrast sharply with it (Latta et al. 2006, Raffaele et al. 1998).  Note that, in contrast, the Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager's throat area is distinctly gray with a sharp transition to white around the chin:  this is perhaps the most important distinguishing characteristic.  The mottled gray crown of the immature Black-crowned Palm-Tanager can be confused with adult Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager, but the juvenile Black-crowned will not have the Gray-crowned’s sharp contrast between gray throat area and brightly white chin (Latta et al. 2006, McDonald and Smith 1994).  In the hand, Gray-crowned is also measurably smaller than Black-crowned (McDonald and Smith 1994).

Detailed Description

At 18 cm long, the Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager is about the size of an oriole. Average weight is 27 grams. Its back and wings are a cryptic, leaf-like yellow-green and its underparts are uniformly gray. The crown is the same deep gray of the underparts. A black facial mask covers the eye and cheek. Three white spots surrounding the eye -- one in front and one each immediately above and below -- are highly conspicuous against the black background of this facial mask. The upper throat area is bright white and stands out in strong contrast to the gray below.

Molts

Not described.

Bare Parts

Bill and legs:  dark gray

Measurements

Measurements (N = 21 individuals) provided by C. C. Rimmer from field work conducted in February 2004 at the Macaya Biosphere Reserve in the Massif de la Hotte.  Measurements = mean +/- standard deviation.

WEIGHT: 27.3 g +/- 1.1

WING: 84.6 mm +/- 2.2

TAIL: 66.3 mm +/-2.6

TARSUS: 26.71 mm +/- 0.58

EXPOSED CULMEN: 16.68 mm +/- 1.43

CULMEN NARES TO TIP: 13.34 mm +/- 0.64

CULMEN WIDTH: 5.62 mm +/- 0.64

CULMEN DEPTH: 6.39 mm +/- 0.46

Recommended Citation

Townsend, J. M. (2009). Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager (Phaenicophilus poliocephalus), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.gcptan1.01