From Opus

Caryothraustes poliogaster

Photo by DiggitalD
in Cockscomb Basin, Belize

[edit] Identification

16.5 cm

• Black face
• Yellow head, neck and breast
• Olive back, wings and tail
• Grey rump and belly
• Bill, rather heavy and mostly black

Immatures are rather duller. Facial markings more dusky.

[edit] Distribution

Southeastern Mexico to eastern Panama.

[edit] Taxonomy

Two subspecies are recognized¹:

• C. p. poliogaster
• C. p. scapularis

Some sources include the taxon simulans, which is included in Yellow-green Grosbeak by Clements¹ and Ridgely and Gwynne²; simulans which is found in the Darien region of eastern Panama has yellow but no gray on underparts which makes it similar to Yellow-green Grosbeak but not to the other subspecies of Black-faced Grosbeak.

In the past, Black-faced Grosbeak was included in Yellow-green Grosbeak as additional subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Lowlands and foothills from sea level to about 1000m; canopy and middle levels of dense wet forests, tall second growth, and semi-open habitats such as woodland edge and clearings.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes beetles, caterpillars, other insects, fruit, seeds and nectar.

[edit] Breeding

The nest is a bowl constructed from bromeliad leaves and other epiphytes 3-6 m high in a small tree or palm. 3 brown-spotted gey-white eggs are laid between April and June.

[edit] Vocalisation

Calls - sharp chip or tweet, buzzes and whistles; song - whistled cher chi weet, cher chir weet, cher chi chuweet.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Wikipedia

[edit] External Links