408

DACNISES AND HONEYCREEPERS

(5 species). Small colorful tanagers, often in pairs with

mixed flocks, roving in forest canopy at fruiting and flowering trees; honeycreepers also often visit fruit

feeders. Calls are mainly high thin chips; songs rarely heard. Ages/sexes differ; one species has marked

seasonal changes in male plumage.

SCARLET-THIGHED DACNIS  Dacnis venusta 12–12.5cm. Humid foothill

forest, adjacent semi-open areas with taller trees, fruiting shrubs. See group intro.

No similar species in Costa Rica: on male note black underparts (scarlet thighs

can be hard to see), blue hood; female often with male, told by blue hood and

rump, sharp bill, pale underparts. Juv. resembles female but duller overall; 1st-

year male soon develops some adult plumage. SOUNDS:  High thin ssip and

twitters; short, twangy upslurred dwoih. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common

on both slopes, mainly 900–1500m on Pacific slope, 500–1200m on Caribbean

slope; variable movement to lowlands in fall–winter. (Costa Rica to nw. Ecuador.)

BLUE DACNIS  Dacnis cayana 12–12.5cm. Humid lowland forest, adjacent

second growth and semi-open areas with taller trees, fruiting shrubs, gardens.

See group intro. Note sharp straight bill, pinkish legs; distinctive blue tones of

male (paler, more turquoise on Pacific slope), green body and blue head of

female. Juv. resembles female; 1st-year male like adult male but with greener

wing edgings. Cf. honeycreepers, which all have decurved bills. SOUNDS: High,

thin wiry tsit and high twitters. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common on both

slopes, to 1200m on Pacific slope, to 900m on Caribbean slope. (Honduras to

S America.)

GREEN HONEYCREEPER  Chlorophanes spiza 13–14cm. Rather large, bulky

honeycreeper of humid forest, plantations, adjacent second growth and semi-

open areas with taller trees, fruiting shrubs, gardens. See group intro.

Appreciably larger than dacnises and other honeycreepers; male distinctive,

with black hood, banana-yellow bill; on female note yellowish bill, grayish legs.

Juv. resembles female; male attains adult plumage over 1st year. SOUNDS: High

sharp tchiip, rather warbler-like, may be repeated persistently; thin sharp siip

mainly in flight. STATUS: Fairly common on both slopes, to 1200m on Pacific

slope, to 1000m on Caribbean slope. (Mexico to S America.)

RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER  Cyanerpes cyaneus 11–12cm. Forest

canopy and edge, adjacent open areas and second growth with taller trees,

hedgerows, gardens. See group intro. Unlike other honeycreepers, often in

small flocks. Note decurved bill, red legs (bright coral-red on male, pinkish red

on female); in flight, male underwings flash bright sulphur-yellow. Breeding

male distinctive, can look blackish high against bright light; female has dark

eyestripe, weakly streaked underparts, cf. Green and Shining Honeycreepers.

Nonbr. male like female but with black wings and tail. Juv. like female with

duller pinkish legs; male has complete molt into plumage like adult nonbr. by

early winter. SOUNDS: Buzzy, slightly overslurred mewing meeah or meéihr, suggesting a gnatcatcher; high,

slightly nasal, rolled srrip; high thin ssit in flight. STATUS: Fairly common to common in n. lowlands; in

smaller numbers s. on both slopes, locally to 1500m. (Mexico to S America.)

SHINING HONEYCREEPER  Cyanerpes lucidus 10–10.5cm. Small, rather

short-tailed honeycreeper of humid forest, adjacent second growth with taller

trees, fruiting shrubs. See group intro. Yellow legs usually conspicuous; also note

more strongly arched bill, shorter tail than slightly larger Red-legged Honeycreeper.

Male has black throat (cf. male Blue Dacnis), female strongly streaked below. Juv.

resembles female but breast streaking greenish vs. blue, lacks distinct blue whisker;

male attains adult plumage over 1st year. SOUNDS: High, thin, fairly sharp chit

and high, thin, at times slightly liquid twittering. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly

common on both slopes, to 1200m. (Mexico to nw. Colombia.)