About Tangara mexicana (Linnaeus, 1766)
Adult turquoise tanagers with the scientific name Tangara mexicana measure 14 cm (5.5 in) in length and weigh 20 g. They have long tails and a dark, stout, pointed bill. Adult individuals are primarily dark blue and black, with turquoise edging along the primary flight feathers. Most subspecies of this species have yellow lower underparts, but the nominate subspecies native to northeastern South America has paler, more cream-colored lower underparts instead. The subspecies found in Trinidad, T. m. vieiloti, has a darker blue head and breast, and more vividly yellow underparts, than subspecies from the South American mainland. The song of Tangara mexicana is a fast squeaky chatter, rendered as tic-tic-tic-tic-tic.
