Bluish-grey Saltator

Overview

The bluish-grey saltator (Saltator coerulescens) is a passerine bird in the tanager family Thraupidae that is widespread in semi-open habitats across tropical and subtropical South America. The species was formally described in 1817 and currently includes three subspecies following the taxonomic separation of its former subspecies groups.

Identification

• On average, the bird is 20 cm long and weighs 52 g.
• Plumage typically features grey or greyish-olive upperparts, a grey breast, and a buff or cinnamon belly, though variations depend on age and subspecies.
• Distinctive markings include a white stripe over the eye and a narrow white throat.
• The common call is a long-drawn upward slur, described as 'ch'wheeet' or 'ch'kweeee', sometimes with a more elaborate beginning like 'hi'whee chu weeeeh'.

Habitat

This species inhabits a wide range of semi-open environments, such as woodlands, scrub, and forest edges, while avoiding the interior of dense forests. Its distribution covers tropical and subtropical South America, including northern Argentina, western Uruguay, Paraguay, widespread areas of Brazil, Bolivia, eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, and southeastern Colombia.

Diet

The bluish-grey saltator feeds on fruits, buds, and slow-moving arthropods. It forages at low and middle levels, often in pairs or small groups, and occasionally joins mixed-species flocks that may include other saltators.

Did you know?

The species' pale blue eggs are unusual for the genus because they feature a circle of blackish-brown hairstreaks and dots around the blunt end. They are laid in a bulky cup nest situated 2–4 m high in a tree.