Black-throated Saltator

Overview

The black-throated saltator (Saltatricula atricollis) is a monotypic species of bird in the family Thraupidae, known as the tanagers and allies. It is a year-round resident found across parts of South America.

Identification

• Length of 20 to 20.5 cm, with males weighing approximately 53.8 g and identical plumage in both sexes.
• Features a black face, chin, and throat contrasting with brownish-gray ear coverts and dark brown upperparts.
• Possesses a thick orange bill with a blackish culmen, light brown legs, and a chocolate-brown iris.
• Singing consists of a very high, hurried, mellow warbling lasting about three seconds, accompanied by high, pebble-like clicking calls.

Habitat

This species inhabits dry scrublands within caatinga and cerrado ecosystems. It is found primarily in eastern Brazil south of southern Rondônia, extending west into northern and eastern Bolivia and southwest into northeastern Paraguay, typically at elevations between 700 and 1,300 m in Brazil.

Diet

The diet includes seeds, flower buds, fruit, and invertebrates. Foraging activities occur mostly on the ground, usually as a member of mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Breeding records from Minas Gerais suggest the species may be double-brooded, with nest-building evidence indicating that pairs might be assisted by helpers.