Cinereous Mourner

The cinereous mourner (Laniocera hypopyrra) is a species of bird in the family Tityridae, the tityras, becards, and allies. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. == Taxonomy and systematics == The cinereous mourner was originally described in 1817 as Ampelis hypopyrra. It was later reassigned to genus Laniocera that Lesson had erected in 1841. Well into the twentieth century authors variously placed that genus in Cotingidae, the manakin family Pipridae, or the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. Several early twenty-first century studies confirmed the placement of Laniocera in Tityridae and taxonomic systems made the reassignment. The species' English name "cinereous" means "ash-colored". The cinereous mourner shares genus Laniocera with the speckled mourner (L. rufescens) and the two form a superspecies. The cinereous mourner is monotypic. == Description == The cinereous mourner is 20 to 21 cm (7.9 to 8.3 in) long and weighs 41 to 51 g (1.4 to 1.8 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a thin orange ring around the eye. The rest of their head, upperparts, wings, and tail are mostly gray. Their primaries have a brown tinge and two rows of cinnamon spots that show…