Blue-black grosbeak

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Blue-black grosbeak
Cyanocompsa cyanoides.jpg
Cyanocompsa cyanoides - female.jpg
Male (above) and female (below)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Cyanoloxia
Species:
C. cyanoides
Binomial name
Cyanoloxia cyanoides
(Lafresnaye, 1847)
Cyanoloxia cyanoides map.svg
Synonyms

Cyanoloxia cyanoides

The blue-black grosbeak (Cyanoloxia cyanoides) is a species of songbird in the family Cardinalidae.

Contents

The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society places this species in genus Cyanoloxia . [2] [3] In addition, in 2018 the committee split the eastern lowland population into a new species, the Amazonian grosbeak (Cyanoloxia rothschildii). [2] [3]

Taxonomy and systematics

The blue-black grosbeak is found in the family Cardinalidae, within the order Passeriformes. Although it is still sometimes placed in the genus Cyanocompsa , it was found that this genus is paraphyletic and contains members of the genus Amaurospiza and Cyanoloxia. [4]

There are three subspecies in this taxa: Cyanoloxia cyanoides cyanoides, Cyanoloxia cyanoides caerulescens, and Cyanoloxia cyanoides concreta. Although these three subspecies are very similar, there are slight differences between them. Males all have dark blue plumage, however, C.c. concreta has the darkest of the three and is also the largest. Next, in terms of size and coloration, is C.c. caerulescens, followed by C.c. cyanoides, which has the smallest size and brightest plumage. [5] [6]

Originally there was a fourth subspecies, C.c. rothschildii, the only subspecies found to the east of the Andes. [5] However, after examining the genetics of this subspecies, it was determined that C.c. rothschildii would be considered a separate species, Cyanoloxia rothschildii . [2]

Description

The blue-black grosbeak is sexually dimorphic. Females have dark brown plumage which can have a slight reddish hue. Males are dark blue with lighter blue eyebrows and shoulder patches on their wings. The forehead, the area just above the beak, is also a lighter shade of blue. [7] [8]

Vocalization

Blue-Black Grosbeak Song

Often blue-black grosbeaks will not be seen since they prefer to stay hidden among the vegetation, so most of the time their presence is known only when they vocalize. Their song is composed of about six whistles with decreasing pitch and ends with a "seee seee sewee suwee sweet suuu." [9] There are slight differences in the songs between the three different subspecies. [8] [5]

Blue-Black Grosbeak Alarm Call

The call is a sharp "shek" or "chit" and will often be repeated many times. [9]

Distribution and habitat

The distribution of the blue-black grosbeak is limited to the Central and South American. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. [1]

Both C.c. caerulescens and C.c. concreta are found in Mexico and Central America, while C.c. cyanoides can be found from Panama to northern South America. [5]

They prefer habitats which are dense with tall trees and undergrowth because this provides sufficient cover. Although not generally seen, the blue-black grosbeak can be found at edges of broadleaf forests. [8] [9]

Behaviour

Breeding

The blue-black grosbeak construct little cup nests to lay their eggs in and normally have a clutch size of 2. [10] The breeding season of the blue-black grosbeak takes place during the spring and summer months, however the peak period of the breeding season differs slightly between populations located in different areas. [7]

Diet

Blue-black grosbeaks are omnivorous; they have been known to eat seeds and fruits, as well as insects like ants and caterpillars. [7] [8] They crush the seeds before they consume them. [8]

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Cyanocompsa cyanoides at Wikimedia Commons

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardinalidae</span> Bird family

Cardinalidae is a family of New World-endemic passerine birds that consists of cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings. It also includes several other genera such as the tanager-like Piranga and the warbler-like Granatellus. Membership of this family is not easily defined by a single or even a set of physical characteristics, but instead by molecular work. Among songbirds, they range from average-sized to relatively large, and have stout features, some species with large, heavy bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanager</span> Family of birds

The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropical birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grosbeak</span> Form taxon of passerine birds

Grosbeak is a form taxon containing various species of seed-eating passerine birds with large beaks. Although they all belong to the superfamily Passeroidea, these birds are not part of a natural group but rather a polyphyletic assemblage of distantly related songbirds. Some are cardueline finches in the family Fringillidae, while others are cardinals in the family Cardinalidae; one is a member of the weaver family Ploceidae. The word "grosbeak", first applied in the late 1670s, is a partial translation of the French grosbec, where gros means "large" and bec means "beak".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson-collared tanager</span> Species of bird

The crimson-collared tanager is a rather small Middle American songbird. It was first described by the French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831, its specific epithet from the Latin adjective sanguinolentus, "bloodied", referring to its red plumage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melodious blackbird</span> Species of bird

The melodious blackbird is a New World tropical bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-thighed grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The black-thighed grosbeak is a large seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae, which is endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronzy hermit</span> Species of hummingbird

The bronzy hermit is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue bunting</span> Species of bird

The blue bunting is a species of passerine in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-throated goldentail</span> Species of bird

The blue-throated goldentail, also known as the blue-throated sapphire, is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and heavily degraded former forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violet-headed hummingbird</span> Species of bird

The violet-headed hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is the only species in the genus Klais.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultramarine grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The ultramarine grosbeak is a species of grosbeak in the family Cardinalidae. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in eastern and central South America, with a disjunct population in northern South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glaucous-blue grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The glaucous-blue grosbeak, also known as the indigo grosbeak, is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-shouldered grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The yellow-shouldered grosbeak is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of its genus Parkerthraustes. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The golden grosbeak, also known as golden-bellied grosbeak or southern yellow grosbeak, is a species of grosbeak in the family Cardinalidae. It is similar to, and has sometimes been considered conspecific with, the yellow grosbeak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue seedeater</span> Species of bird

The blue seedeater, or Cabanis's seedeater, is a species of bird in the cardinal family Cardinalidae that is found in southern Mexico and Central America. The Ecuadorian seedeater was formerly considered as a subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-headed tanager</span> Species of bird

The grey-headed tanager is a widely distributed species of small Neotropical bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of the genus Eucometis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-throated euphonia</span> Species of songbird

The yellow-throated euphonia is a species of songbird in the family Fringillidae. It is found in southeastern Mexico and throughout Central America with its range stretching from Belize south to western Panama. It inhabits primarily both humid and dry regions where it prefers the forest edge, open woodland, and shaded plantations. It has two subspecies, the nominate subspecies Euphonia hirundinaceahirundinacea and Euphonia hirundinacea gnatho. This finch is a small bird with pointed wings and a short bill and short tail. Males of this species have dark glossy blue-black upperparts excluding a yellow forecrown, and bright yellow underparts, while females have olive green upperparts and whitish-gray breast and lower parts. It has a shrill song that alternates between high-pitched and moderately pitched and appears to be able to mimic some calls of other birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-winged tanager</span> Species of bird


The white-winged tanager is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found from Mexico, through Central America, across northern South America and as far south as Bolivia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-bellied trogon</span> Subspecies of bird

The orange-bellied trogon is a subspecies of the collared trogon in the family Trogonidae. It is now usually considered as a morph of the collared trogon, but was previously sometimes treated as a separate species. It is found in the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonian grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The Amazonian grosbeak or Rothschild's grosbeak is a species of grosbeak in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in much of the Amazon Basin, in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2017) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Cyanoloxia cyanoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T103810895A119455700. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T103810895A119455700.en . Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Updates & Corrections – August 2018 | Clements Checklist". www.birds.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-15.
  3. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2023). "Cardinals, grosbeaks and "tanager" allies". World Bird List. 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  4. Klicka, John; Burns, Kevin; Spellman, Garth M. (2007). "Defining a monophyletic Cardinalini: A molecular perspective". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 45 (3): 1014–1032. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.550.1550 . doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.07.006. ISSN   1055-7903. PMID   17920298.
  5. 1 2 3 4 García, Natalia C.; Barreira, Ana S.; Lavinia, Pablo D.; Tubaro, Pablo L. (2016-06-01). "Congruence of phenotypic and genetic variation at the subspecific level in a Neotropical passerine". Ibis. 158 (4): 844–856. doi:10.1111/ibi.12386. ISSN   0019-1019.
  6. Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Prum, Richard O. (2008). "Evolution of Avian Plumage Color in a Tetrahedral Color Space: A Phylogenetic Analysis of New World Buntings". The American Naturalist. 171 (6): 755–776. doi:10.1086/587526. ISSN   0003-0147. PMID   18419340. S2CID   16876611.
  7. 1 2 3 "Blue-black Grosbeak - Introduction". Neotropical Birds Online. Retrieved 2018-10-15.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Hilty, Steven L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Gwynne, John A., Tudor, Guy., Grajal, Alejandro., McQueen, Larry B., Webb, Sophie., Kleinbaum, Michel (2nd ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN   9781400834099.
  9. 1 2 3 Vallely, A.C.; Dyer, D. (2018). Birds of Central America : Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN   9780691184159.
  10. Skutch, Alexander F. (1985). "Clutch Size, Nesting Success, and Predation on Nests of Neotropical Birds, Reviewed". Ornithological Monographs (36): 575–594. doi:10.2307/40168306. JSTOR   40168306.

Further reading