29 January 2010, El Valle, Cocle Province, Panama

This is a male with a striking black and yellow plumage.

Two races are currently recognized. This is R. f. icteronotus which ranges
in humid lowlands and foothills from Panama to Ecuador. The nominate race
is confined to a small area in western Columbia. It usually has a red
colored rumped while our birds have a lemon-yellow colored rump.

Some authorities, including the IOC split them into two species, reserving
the name "Flame-rumped Tanager" for the nominate race and calling our bird
the "Lemon-rumped Tanager." However, that split has not yet been endorsed
by the AOU, the SACC or by Clements. Nevertheless, the name "Lemon-rumped
Tanager" was used by the local guides.

Although the IOC list splits them, their footnote says, "Ramphocelus
icteronotus intergrades with R. flammigerus (Ridgely & Greenfield 2001);
NACC lumps, SACC needs proposal." So it remains unclear why IOC has
chosen to split them.

Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope 3 | 30X WA | hand-held
(no adapter)