Golden Grosbeak
Pheucticus chrysogaster
A mostly yellow, stout-billed bird found in a variety of habitats, including lowland deciduous forest, cloud forest, and high elevation woodland. Male has golden-yellow head and underparts, and black wings boldly marked with white. Female has a similar pattern, but is duller, browner, and may have dark patches on face and crown.
Identification
The body averages 21 cm (8.3 in) in length. The bill is large and conical in shape, typical of most species in the family. The golden grosbeak is sexually dimorphic in plumage. Males are bright yellow with a black wing and back. They have white spots on their median and greater wing-coverts that wear over time, and older birds appear darker. The females have brown wings and brown streaks covering the head, flanks, back and rump. The immature of this species look similar to the female in plumage and is often not distinguishable in the field.
Taxonomy
The golden grosbeak belongs to the taxonomic family Cardinalidae. Other members of this family include cardinals, buntings, and other grosbeaks. Its genus, Pheuticus (meaning "shy" in Greek), contains six extant species.<p>The golden grosbeak (P. chrysogaster) used to be considered a member of the same species as the black-thighed grosbeak (P. tibialis) and yellow grosbeak (P. chrysopeplus); collectively, they went under the name yellow grosbeak (P. chrysopeplus). Southern yellow grosbeak was the common name given to the subspecies of yellow grosbeak found in the South American Andes of Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Columbia, now recognized as the separate species golden grosbeak. Recent phylogenetics supports the separation of these three species and suggests that the golden grosbeak is more closely related to the black-backed grosbeak (P. aureiventris) than to the black-thighed or yellow.<p>Pheucticus chrysogaster goes by several different English names: southern yellow grosbeak, golden-bellied grosbeak, or golden grosbeak. The multiplicity of names traces in part to the above history of taxonomic splitting. Golden grosbeak is now favored over the other names by the major taxonomic authorities, as reflected in frequently updated and popular websites like eBird.org and Neotropicalbirds.org.
- Scientific name
- Pheucticus chrysogaster
- Authority
- (Lesson, RP, 1832)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Genus
- Pheucticus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This species is found up to 3000 meters in elevation in a large diversity of habitats, occurring in semi-open habitats, edges of the forest, and shrub. Primarily arboreal, the birds that are often found alone or in pairs.The song is described as fast caroling that is a “rich melody, liquid and full”. Each individual has a large repertoire of songs. The call is a metallic ‘pink’.
Conservation
The IUCN considers the golden grosbeak a species of Least Concern. This classification reflects the species' large range and stable population size (<30% decline over ten years or three generations).
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Junin Grebe
Podiceps taczanowskii
Critically endangered grebe found only on Lake Junín in the high Andes of central Peru. Adults are gray and white with a ruby-red eye; young birds have a brownish tinge. Extremely similar to the far more common Silvery Grebe, but Junin Grebe is slightly larger with a longer bill, a skinnier neck, darker flanks, and a paler bill. These differences are more evident when both species are present, to allow for direct comparison. Not easily seen or identified from the lakeshore; a boat is usually needed for close-up views.
Mount Kupe Bushshrike
Chlorophoneus kupeensis
A grayish bushshrike with green wings and tail and a unique head pattern: the black mask curls down to form a narrow black breast band surrounding the white throat. Some morphs have a purple dot at the base of the throat. Juvenile has less distinct face pattern than adult. A rare resident, restricted to a handful of sites in the Cameroon-Nigeria highlands, where it is found singly and in pairs in the canopy of primary hill forest between 930 and 1550 meters of elevation. Calls include an electric grating “cha-cha-cha-chggrrt-chggrrt-chggrrt” like a laser-gun sound effect in a computer game, as well as harsh croaking, whistles, and ticks. May snap wings when agitated.
Brown-backed Mockingbird
Mimus dorsalis
Handsome mockingbird found in scrubby areas in the high Andes. It has rich brown upperparts, mostly white underparts, and a white eyebrow. The brilliant white wing stripes and outer tail feathers flash conspicuously in flight, and help to separate it from the relatively plain Patagonian Mockingbird. Similar to White-banded Mockingbird, but tends to be browner (less gray) on the back and crown, has smaller white wing stripes, and is normally found at much higher elevations. It has a huge vocal repertoire ranging from shrill whistles to harsh churrs and metallic trills.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.