the former family of the sugar-birds was apportioned because of certain physique-like characteristics, so that the Pitpits are considered one of the Tangaren today. In the type-group Pitpits, 9 types remain over 30 types as well, that no uniform group quite forms. Most types are widespread from Mexico to North-Argentina.
Types The hook-beaks or bloom-engravers (type Diglossa) have odd, upward bent beaks with a sharp hook. Hereby, they tap the bloom-ground, about the nectar with the tongue herauszusaugen. All types live in the mountain-landscapes of the Andes.
Quite differently, the beak of the blue-iridescent turquoise-birds (type Cyanerpes) is molded. it is long and downward bent. At the forest-edges and in the moist lowlands of the tropical zones, the birds live from fruits, insects and bloom-nectar. In order to reach the nectar, they insert its beak like the Kolibris deeply into the blooms. However, they approach the blooms, in that entlanghüpfen, never in the Schwirrflug, it on creepers and branches.
The Kappensaie (type Chlorophanes), the Pitpits I..S. (Type Dacnis, and the type Iridophanes is with its keenly sharpened and straight beak the real Tangaren most similar. they are colored iridescent and, to find in the tropical forest sooner. its habits correspond those of the turquoise-birds.
Characteristics A common characteristic of all types is the deeply cut tongue (2 or 3 branches), that frayed brush-nicely at the top. So it is on very well tried the sucking up of nectar although some types developed largely into fruit-gluttons. In every case, the nectar-food is supplemented (also nectar-birds) through fruits and insects.
Reproduction The brood-behavior of the Pitpits hardly differs from that of the other Tangaren. The nest-construction and the Bebrütung of the eggs are alone left the female. Normally the female is not fed by the partner either if it sits on the eggs although the male always is in nest-proximity. If however, it goes therefore to look for fresh fruits and insects for the squabs, it also is very solicitous until the boys can fly out after 14 days themselves.
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