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Photo: © fernando Burgalin Sequeria eBird S85258617 Macaulay Library ML 325749001
black-faced-grassquit

Black-faced Grassquit

Melanospiza bicolor
Semillero Pechinegro
map-colombia-black-faced-grassquit
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Song

Black-faced Grassquit

Appearance: The Black-faced Grassquit is a small bird, typically measuring about 10-11 cm (4-4.3 in) in length. Males have a distinctive black face and throat, with olive-green upperparts and paler underparts. Females and juveniles are generally duller, with more brownish or olive coloring and less pronounced facial markings. They have a short, conical bill adapted for seed eating.
Habitat: In Colombia, the Black-faced Grassquit can be found in the northern regions, particularly in coastal and lowland areas.
They inhabit open and semi-open areas, such as grasslands, scrublands, gardens, and agricultural fields. They are often found at the edges of forests and in areas with abundant grass seeds.
Behavior: Primarily granivorous, feeding on seeds from grasses and other plants. They may also consume small insects on occasion. They are often seen in pairs or small groups. They can be quite social, especially outside the breeding season. They have a simple, repetitive song and various calls used for communication.
Conservation status: The Black-faced Grassquit is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
MALE
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Photo: © fernando Burgalin Sequeria eBird S85258617 Macaulay Library ML 325749001
FEMALE
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Photo: © Christoph Moning eBird S12636090 Macaulay Library ML 65053001

Distribution

The Black-faced Grassquit is a small bird species found in the Caribbean coast. The species is more commonly found in the northern part of the country, particularly, in the Guajira department, and in the slopes of the Eastern Andean range.

Taxonomy

The Black-faced Grassquit (Melanospiza bicolor)
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves (Birds)
  • Order: Passeriformes
  • Family: Thraupidae
  • Genus: Melanospiza
  • Species: Melanospiza bicolor

Vocalization

The Black-faced Grassquit is a small bird found in the Caribbean. The vocalizations consist of a series of high-pitched notes. Their song is often described as a series of short, repetitive, and buzzy notes or trills. These sounds are used for communication between individuals, especially during the breeding season when males sing to establish territory and attract mates.