Bluish Flowerpiercer (Diglossa caerulescens)

Identification & Behavior: ~13.5 cm (5.2 in). The Bluish Flowerpiercer bluish gray overall. The iris is red wine. It favors the scrubby vegetation that grows along ridgetops and similar sparse not very tall vegetation. It is similar to the Deep-blue Flowerpiercer and Masked Flowerpiercer but is distinguished by being bluish-gray overall, red iris, and no black mask.

Status: The Bluish Flowerpiercer is uncommon and widespread on the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 1300-3100 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Pincha-Flor Azulado.

Sub-species: Bluish Flower-piercer (Diglossa caerulescens media), J. Bond, 1955.  N portion of E slope of Andes in Ecuador (specimen from at least as far N as Sierra Azul, in Napo) S to E slope in N Peru (Cajamarca and N Amazonas).
(Diglossa caerulescens pallida), (Berlepsch and Stolzmann), 1896.  N & C Peru (from S side of R Marañón S to La Libertad, Lima and Junín).
(Diglossa caerulescens mentalis), J. T. Zimmer, 1942.  E slope of Andes in S Peru S to Bolivia (La Paz).

Meaning of Name: Diglossa: Gr. di, dis= double, twice and glossa= tongue. caerulescens: L. caerulescens, caerulescentis= bluish.

See more of the Family Thraupidae