Plain-colored Seedeater (Catamenia inornata)

Identification & Behavior: ~13.5 cm (5.2 in). The male Plain-colored Seedeater is all gray with dusky streaks on the mantle. The undertail coverts are chestnut. The bill is pinkish. The female is similar but has a brown mantle with heavier dusky streaks and shades of brown on the crown and breast. It has a brown bill and dull chestnut undertail coverts. The Plain-colored Seedeater forages in dry and semi-humid montane scrub and other semi-open habitats.  It is similar to the Paramo Seedeater but is distinguished by a light gray coloration and by foraging at drier habitats. Also, see Band-tailed Seedeater.

Status: The Plain-colored Seedeater is fairly common on the west and east slopes of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2600-4400 m. It also ranges in inter-Andean valleys. The Plain-colored Seedeater also occurs in Co, Ec, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Semillero Simple.

Sub-species: Plain-colored Seedeater (Catamenia inornata minor), Berlepsch, 1885.  W Venezuela (Táchira) S through Andes of Colombia (E & C ranges) and Ecuador to C Peru (Junín).
(Catamenia inornata inornata), (Lafresnaye), 1847.  Andes of SW Peru (Cuzco and Puno) and extreme N Chile (N Tarapacá) E to C Bolivia and NW Argentina (S to C Mendoza).

Meaning of Name: Catamenia: Gr. kata= in relation to and men, menos= month. Katamenia= menstrual, menstruous. inornata: L. in= not and ornatus= adorned, decorated. Inornatus= plain, unadorned.

See more of the Family Thraupidae