Black-backed Grosbeak (Pheucticus aureoventris)

Identification & Behavior: ~23 cm (9 in). The Black-backed Grosbeak has a black hood and black and white upperparts and tail. The underparts are pure yellow or barred with dusky on the sides of the belly (aureoventris). The bill is silver and blackish and thick.  It is similar to the closely related Golden-bellied Grosbeak but is distinguished by having a black hood and upper breast and favoring more humid habitats.

Status: The Black-backed Grosbeak is uncommon to rare in the edges of montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1200-3200 m. It is also local in some inter-Andean Valleys. The Black-backed Grosbeak also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Picogrueso de Dorso Negro.

Sub-species: Black-backed Grosbeak (Pheucticus aureoventris terminalis), Chapman, 1919.   Lower Andes of Peru (Amazonas and Cuzco).
(P. a. aureoventris), (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye), 1837.  S Peru (Puno), S & E Bolivia (La Paz S to Tarija) and NW Argentina. Also, probably only in austral winter, WC Brazil (W Mato Grosso) and N Paraguay.

Meaning of Name: Pheucticus: Gr. Pheugo= to flee, pheuktikos shy, inclined to avoid. aureoventris: L. aureus= golden, gold and venter, ventris= belly.

See more of the Family Cardinalidae