Seedeater ID, Trinidad (1 Viewer)

This bird was found on the islet of Chacachacare which is of the NW coast of Trinidad (towards venezuela). Most seedeaters are considered locally extirpated here but now and again a few turn up in teh wild (escaped or migrants).

Bump? Any South americans on here who can give an educated guess?

Certainly no expert but could it be a female / immature Slate-colored Seedeater? They range in Vz right across from Chacachacare.

Slate-colored Seedeater is a pretty rare species that tends to stick to rainforest and edge and is a bamboo specialist. I certainly would look at other species first, it would take some solid evidence to document that species in a location as described by bugmat.

I wouldn't dare suggest a firm identification at all. My first impression based on dark bill, dusky throat, yellowish on the belly (hard to say how much of that is photo artifact) and reasonably forked tail is Yellow-bellied Seedeater. My second thought (also based on dusky throat, and a pretty heavy bill, and considering color is hard to interpret in the photos) is Gray Seedeater. Dave, note that Gray Seedeater is quite similar to Slate-colored but would be far, far more common and expected in habitat like that as far as I understand.

pbjosh,
Good comments above. For a little info on Chacachacare, it is a small island almost midway between north western Trinidad (7 miles) and eastern Venezuela (8 miles). The flora is mostly dry forest. The island is uninhabited, so, that makes escapees fairly unlikely. The only report I've seen on any Seedeater on Chac was a Lesson's (which was accepted by TTRBC). So a vagrant is the most likely seedeater to be found there. In northwestern Trinidad Yellow-bellied Seedeaters are rare visitors but show up yearly.

I didn't suggest this species because this photo did not match my mental image of the Yellow-bellied Seedeaters that I have seen in Trinidad. However, your comment about the notched tail certainly does match this species better. Your comment on Gray Seedeater also makes more sense with respect to habitat and it's range in Vz is also close to Chac.

Thanks for the comments.

Ok thanks Dave, pbjosh - the notched tail is a good mark yes. Probably gray seedeater I think.