Blue Seedeater (Amaurospiza concolor)

Identification & Behavior: ~12.5 cm (5 in). The male Blue Seedeater is bluish gray with a black culmen and silver mandible. The female is a rich brown with a grayish bill. It forages in the understory at or near the edges of humid montane forests. It seems to be associated with patches of bamboo. The somewhat similar Blue-Black Grosbeak is larger and has a thicker bill. Also, see Slaty Finch.

Status: The Blue Seedeater is rare in the humid montane forest in Piura and Cajamarca on the west slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1300-2000 m. It also occurs in humid forest in Tumbes. The Blue-seedeater also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Semillero Azul.

Sub-species: Blue Seedeater (Amaurospiza concolor aequatorialis), Sharpe, 1888.

Meaning of Name: Amaurospiza: Gr. Amauros= dark and spiza= finch. concolor: L. concolor, concoloris= of the same color.

See more of the Family Cardinalidae