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YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT  Tiaris olivaceus 10–11cm. Small olive bird of

weedy grassland and second growth, forest edge. Often in flocks with other

small seed-eating birds in areas with seeding grasses. Sings from perch at low to

mid-levels. Adult male striking and distinctive, female and imm. rather drab

but note ghosting of male face pattern, pointed bill. SOUNDS:  High, thin,

slightly sharp sik. Song a fairly rapid, high, ticking trill, 0.5–1 sec, at times in

short series with alternating trills of different length, pace, and pitch; easily

passed off as an insect, and may suggest Olivaceous Piculet. STATUS: Fairly

common to common on both slopes, especially at mid-elevations, to 2000m.

(Mexico to nw. S America.)

BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT  Volatinia jacarina 10–11cm. Open grassy and

weedy areas, crop fields, marshes. Often in flocks with other small seed-eating

birds in areas with seeding grasses. Sings from low perch such as fence, weed

stalk; makes short leap up with each song to show off white shoulder tufts.

Breeding male distinctive (can be seen year-round, depending on local condi­

tions), other plumages told by small size, pointed bill, dusky streaking on chest

(can suggest small version of female Indigo Bunting). Imm. male and nonbr.

male have blue-black wings, variable dark blotching below. SOUNDS: High, sharp

to slightly liquid tsik. Song a buzzy, slightly metallic or lisping tzzzzz’u or tzssii’u,

0.3–0.5 secs, repeated every few secs, often as male makes short leaps from perch. STATUS: Fairly common

to common on both slopes, locally to 1800m. (Mexico to S America.)

*BLACK [VARIABLE] SEEDEATER  Sporophila corvina 11–11.5cm. Second

growth, forest edge, weedy thickets, roadsides; at times in adjacent seeding

fields. Usually in pairs or small groups, often with other small seed-eating birds.

Male told from Thick-billed Seedfinch by smaller, stubbier bill. Female duskier,

more olive-toned than other female seedeaters. SOUNDS: Nasal chiyh and down­

slurred chieu. Song a pleasant, slightly chanting warble, 2–8 secs; averages slow-

er-paced, sweeter than Hick’s Seedeater. STATUS: Fairly common to common on

Caribbean slope, to 1500m; spills over locally to n. Pacific slope and spreading

into Central Valley. (Mexico to w. Panama.)

THICK-BILLED SEEDFINCH  Sporophila funerea 11.5–12.5cm Humid second

growth, forest edge, marshes, adjacent seeding fields. In pairs, rarely small groups;

sometimes with seedeater flocks but more often separate. Feeds inconspicuously

in seeding grasses; sings from mid–upper levels in shrub or small tree. Male from

Black Seedeater by deeper ‘grosbeak’ bill; female smaller and smaller-billed than

female Nicaraguan Seedfinch. SOUNDS: Quiet nasal chiyh. Song a rich, slightly

rambling, pleasant warble, at times with faster buzzy sections or run into a buzzy

ending, mainly 5–25 secs; typically richer, more rambling, less jerky, and often

more prolonged than seedeater songs. STATUS: Fairly common to uncommon on

both slopes, to 1200m. (Mexico to nw. S America.)

NICARAGUAN (PINK-BILLED) SEEDFINCH  Sporophila nuttingi 14–15cm.

Wet grassy areas, marshes, humid second growth, adjacent seeding fields. In

pairs or small groups, sometimes associating with seedeater flocks but more

often separate. Feeds inconspicuously in seeding grasses; sings from mid–upper

levels in shrub or small tree, from roadside wires. Adult male distinctive, with

very large pale pinkish bill; female appreciably larger and larger-billed than

female Thick-billed Seedfinch, with slightly raised ridge at culmen base. Also cf.

female Blue-black Grosbeak, a bird of humid second growth and forest edge,

not open grassy areas and marshes. SOUNDS: Nasal chih, slightly lower than

Thick-billed Seedfinch. Song an unhurried series of mellow chirps and slurred chips, overall slower, lower,

and richer than Thick-billed, mainly 4–7 secs, often with short breaks between songs; also longer songs

including faster, more jangling sections. STATUS: Uncommon to scarce and local in Caribbean slope

lowlands, rarely to 900m. (Nicaragua to Panama.)