Euphonia sp. seen at La Chuma, Costa Rica (April 23rd 2022) (1 Viewer)

[C B Allen]

We recorded these as Thick-billed Euphonia at the time (last month) but reviewing my photos I'm leaning more towards Yellow-throated based on the limited extension of yellow onto the crown (unfortunately didn't get any shots of the female from below which would have helped!).

This was at La Chuma, about 30km(?) NE of San Isidro ... not sure of elevation but would have been around 1000m or just above which doesn't exclude either as possibilities.

 

[THE_FERN]

We recorded these as Thick-billed Euphonia at the time (last month) but reviewing my photos I'm leaning more towards Yellow-throated based on the limited extension of yellow onto the crown (unfortunately didn't get any shots of the female from below which would have helped!).

This was at La Chuma, about 30km(?) NE of San Isidro ... not sure of elevation but would have been around 1000m or just above which doesn't exclude either as possibilities.

Thick-billed for me as the yellow crown extends behind the eye. I would also expect female yellow-throated to show more patterning and not be +/- uniform as here. The "thick bill" appears not to be markedly different in thickness to yellow-throated's according to ebird images.

 

[C B Allen]

Thick-billed for me as the yellow crown extends behind the eye. I would also expect female yellow-throated to show more patterning and not be +/- uniform as here. The "thick bill" appears not to be markedly different in thickness to yellow-throated's according to ebird images.

Thanks for your comments. In retrospect having checked some other pics we took of "definite" Yellow-throated Euphonia earlier on the same trip I'm happier with the Thick-billed ID (helps that I checked the books again and apparently the male as well as the female Yellow-throated should show a whitish belly which the male here visibly doesn't). Agree the bill isn't the place to start checking for this species!

 

[njlarsen]

The angle of the dark blue around the yellow front is really sharp on the male, something like 90 dg or less. I did not see a single Thick-billed Euphonia having this sharp an angle, most of them shows a straight line below the yellow cap. This makes me want to see more images of this bird to see if my impression of the front really is correct. Any more images?
Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

The angle of the dark blue around the yellow front is really sharp on the male, something like 90 dg or less. I did not see a single Thick-billed Euphonia having this sharp an angle, most of them shows a straight line below the yellow cap. This makes me want to see more images of this bird to see if my impression of the front really is correct. Any more images?
Niels

But it does look exactly like the Vallely & D illustration, angle and all...

 

[njlarsen]

Here is one image which at least is from Central America; I could not find one from CR right now. I do not see this be the same angle.

Thick-billed Euphonia (male)

Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris subsp. crassirostris) Male, species sexually dimorphic. This male had this mottled back which differs from other males. He was still a good dad though (lol). Camp Darin, Darin Province, Panam...

www.birdforum.net

Niels

 

[THE_FERN]

Here is one image which at least is from Central America; I could not find one from CR right now. I do not see this be the same angle.

Thick-billed Euphonia (male)

Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris subsp. crassirostris) Male, species sexually dimorphic. This male had this mottled back which differs from other males. He was still a good dad though (lol). Camp Darin, Darin Province, Panam...

www.birdforum.net

Niels

Perhaps we're at cross purposes. Regardless of angles, I think it's unequivocal that the yellow extends past the eye and the female is wrong for yellow-throated

 

[pbjosh]

Thick-billed for me. The cap is a bit hard to interpret at this angle but it looks more like TB to me than YT. More damning / conclusive, however, is the female...