- Cyanocompsa brissonii
Identification
6" (15cm). Very heavy black bill (slightly swollen). Male: very similar to male Blue-black Grosbeak but slightly smaller, rump paler and brighter than back (not uniform with back), and bill somewhat curved and swollen. Female: resembles female Blue-black Grosbeak but slightly smaller and pale sandy brown (not rich dark brown) with underparts obviously paler than upperparts.
Voice: Song recalls Blue-black Grosbeak's but higher-pitched and faster; a flat warbled wee-se-weep wee-so-weeep wee see wee-so-weeep without latter's two slow introductory phrases; sharp, metallic pik call unlike that of Blue-black Grosbeak.
Distribution
300-1600m. In Colombia, pacific slope in drier parts of upper Dagua Valley (mostly above Cisneros), upper Patia Valley and mid Cauca Valley in Valle (Cali, Palmira, and Buga area). Spottily in north Venezuela, east Brazil, and Mato Grosso, Paraguay, Argentina, and east Bolivia.
Taxonomy
Habitat
Woodland and caatinga, thickets in semi-open areas.