Dull-colored Grassquit (Asemospiza obscura)

Identification & Behavior: ~11.5 cm (4.5 in). The Dull-colored Grassquit is overall non-descript and unmarked grayish-brown. The bill is diagnostic being dark with a yellowish mandible. It forages in the shrubbery of scrub and forest edges. Alone or in the company of seedeaters. It is similar to the Chestnut-throated Seedeater but is distinguished by an overall unmarked plumage and a stubby bill with a yellow mandible. Also, see Drab Seedeater.

Status: The Dull-colored Grassquit is common to uncommon in the coastal lowlands and the Marañon Drainage. It is also rather local along the east slope of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Semillero Pardo.

Sub-species: Dull-colored Grassquit (Asemospiza obscurus pauper) (Berlepsch & Taczanowski, 1884.  extreme S Colombia (Nariño) S on W slope of Andes to NW Peru (to La Libertad and Cajamarca) and on E slope in N Peru (S to San Martín and Loreto).
(Asemospiza obscurus obscurus) (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye), 1837.  E slope of C Peru (from San Martin S, patchily, to Puno) and S through Andean slopes of Bolivia to NW Argentina (S to Tucumán); also, probably non-breeding, in E lowlands of Bolivia (Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca), W Paraguay and N Argentina (Chaco).
(Asemospiza obscurus pacificus), (Koepcke), 1963.  coastal plain and slope in Peru from Ancash S to Arequipa.

Meaning of Name: Asemospiza: Gr. Asēmos= without distinguishing marks and spiza= finch. . obscura: L. obscurus= dark, dusky, obscure.

Formerly known as Tiaris obscura (2017).

See more of the Family Thraupidae