Dull-colored Grassquit
Asemospiza obscura
This well-named little bird is found in the Andean foothills and adjacent lowlands from Venezuela to northern Argentina. Males and females are both equally drab, entirely medium brown with no distinctive markings. In most of range bill is bicolored, but in central and northern Colombia has an all dark bill. Very similar to females of several other seedeater and grassquit species, but in most of range note Dull-colored Grassquit’s bicolored bill. Uncommon and sometimes tricky to find as it forages inconspicuously in shrubbery at the forest edge or in gardens and second growth. Usually in pairs or small flocks. Listen for buzzy sputtering song that seems rushed.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Asemospiza obscura
- Authority
- (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Asemospiza
Range and habitat
It is found in northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and western Venezuela. It is a vagrant to Paraguay and central Brazil.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Purple Honeycreeper
Cyanerpes caeruleus
Very small tanager, widespread and common in lowlands and foothills of northern South America. Male is indigo-blue with narrow black mask, black throat, and black wings. Note long decurved bill and yellow legs to separate from other honeycreepers in most of range. Female much different: she is mostly green with pale streaking on underparts, a grizzled buffy-brown face, and a blue mustache stripe. Extremely similar to Shining Honeycreeper, but very little range overlap. Male Shining has larger black throat patch and slightly shorter bill; female has duller, grayer crown and less buffy face. Usually in small groups, often accompanying a mixed-species flock in the canopy. Found in forests, edges, and gardens.
Pacific Emerald Dove
Chalcophaps longirostris
Squat ground-dwelling dove with shimmering green wings. Note chocolate-brown body. Found in forest and forest edge, where it forages on the ground; often flushed at close quarters with a loud wing-clatter. Usually solitary, occasionally in flocks or small groups. Song is an accelerating and rising series of mournful coos.
Rufous-eared Brushfinch
Atlapetes rufigenis
Uncommon brushfinch restricted to the high Andes of northern and central Peru. Adult is mostly gray with a chestnut cap, black-and-white mustache stripes, and a white spot in front of the eye. Young birds are washed with brown and have a duller crown. This species does not overlap with Black-spectacled Brushfinch or Apurimac Brushfinch, both of which have black around the eye. Inhabits woodland understory and patches of scrub. Gives rich, descending trills along with high-pitched “sip” notes.
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