398

PAINTED BUNTING  Passerina ciris 12–13cm. Winter migrant to weedy fields

and roadsides, second growth, brushy woodland, riversides. Singles or small

groups feed in seeding grasses, associating readily with other weed-eating birds;

at times ranges to fruiting canopy. Like other Passerina, often twitches tail side

to side. Adult male unmistakable; female and imm. notably plain greenish

(some imms. in fall almost colorless dirty buff with traces of green) with paler

eyering, but nothing really similar in Costa Rica. SOUNDS: Clipped tlik and soft

buzz, similar to Indigo Bunting. STATUS: Uncommon to scarce and often local

late Oct–Apr on Pacific slope, scarce on n. Caribbean slope, to 1300m. (Breeds

s. US and Mexico, winters Mexico to Panama.)

INDIGO BUNTING  Passerina cyanea 12–13cm. Winter migrant to weedy

fields, grassland, second growth, brushy woodland, riversides. Singles or often

small flocks feed in seeding grasses, associating readily with other weed-eating

birds. Larger than seedeaters and grassquits with longer bill, warm brown plum-

age tones; female has streaked breast, cf. female Blue-black Grassquit. Winter

adult male and late winter imm. male variably blotched blue, attain mostly

brilliant blue plumage by Apr. SOUNDS: Strong, slightly sharp tlik and buzzy

zzzrt. STATUS:  Fairly common to uncommon Oct–Apr on both slopes, to

1500m; a few from Sep and into early May; most numerous in nw. lowlands.

(Breeds N America, winters Mexico to Panama.)

BLUE GROSBEAK  Passerina caerulea 16.5–17.5cm. Breeds in ranchland with

scattered trees, hedgerows, often along streams; males sing from fence or small

tree. More widespread in winter, in open and semi-open areas with grassland,

brushy second growth, marshes; singles or small groups feed in seeding grasses,

associating readily with other weed-eating birds. Note very stout bill, cinnamon

wingbars; hindcrown often distinctly peaked, even vaguely crested. Cf. appreciably

smaller and smaller-billed Indigo Bunting. Adult male in fresh plumage (Aug–

Feb) has blue variably veiled with cinnamon-brown edgings, wearing off to reveal

waxy deep blue by spring. SOUNDS: Strong metallic chink and wet buzzy zzzir.

Song a rich, slightly scratchy rambling warble, 2–2.5 secs. STATUS: Uncommon and local on n. Pacific slope,

mainly foothills, to 1100m in Central Valley; more widespread Oct–Apr, when migrants scarce to un­

common locally on both slopes. (Breeds US to nw. Costa Rica, winters Mexico to Panama.)

DICKCISSEL  Spiza americana 14.5–16cm. Rather sparrow-like cardinalid

found in crop and weedy fields, damp grassy areas with shrubby bushes; singles

often associate with other seed-eating birds. Flocks can number 1000s, flying

overhead in undulating swarms that suggest blackbird flocks. Adult male

distinctive (pattern veiled with paler feather tips in fresh plumage, Sep–Dec),

with yellow face and breast, black bib; female and imm. have ghosting of male

pattern, stout bill, streaked flanks. Cf. female House Sparrow (p. 386).

SOUNDS: Wet buzzy zzzrt often given in flight, suggests emphatic rough-winged

swallow; full, slightly liquid fwit. Spring males sometimes sing, jangling

choruses including a bright buzzy dik-cizz-l. STATUS: Sporadically common transient on both slopes to

1500m, Sep–Oct and Apr, smaller numbers into mid-May. Irregularly uncommon to common through

winter in nw. lowlands, sporadic and usually scarce elsewhere in winter. (Breeds N America, winters

Mexico to n. S America.)