EUPHONIAS ARE birds of melodious songs
EUFONÍAS aves de melodioso canto
ORDER: PASSERIFORMES
FAMILY: Fringillidae
Euphonias are known for their constant singing and excellence in tone. Most euphonias are dark metallic blue above and bright yellow below. They have white undertails and some have light blue patches on the head and/or dark yellow underparts. They range in overall length from 9 to 11 cm (3.5 to 4.3 in). Females are olive-green all over. The Euphonia gut is physiologically adapted to digest small mistletoe berries from parasitic plants of the family Loranthaceae, which are poisonous. Euphonias defecate sticky mistletoe seeds that cling to tree branches, thus facilitating the dispersal of seed to different trees. Some species also feed on nectar and insects. They make nests with a lateral entrance. Both parents feed and raise their young. They live in subtropical or tropical moist lowland and forests, as well as heavily degraded forest areas.
Las Eufonias se distinguen por su constante canto y excelente tono. De color azul metálico en su parte superior y anaranjado en su parte inferior. Su tamaño oscila entre 9 a 11 cm. Las hembras son de plumaje color oliva. Están adaptadas para ingerir semillas tóxicas de matapalo, planta parásita de la familia Loranthaceae. Excretan estas semillas en forma concatenada que se adhieren a las ramas y sirven para diseminar la planta. También consumen insectos y semillas pequeñas tipo baya de las Ericaceae, Moraceae y Araceae (anturios). Sus nidos en forma de talegos presentan entrada lateral. Ambos padres cuidan de sus nidos y polluelos. Viven en zonas húmedas tropicales y en regiones deforestadas.