Comments on: Is this small bird from Costa Rica a Variable Seedeater or a Blue-Black Grassquit? http://www.calypsoislandtours.com/blog/index.php/costa-rica/small-bird-costa-rica-variable-seedeater-blueblack-grasquit/ Adventures, misadventures and reflections of traveling in the tropics Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:55:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Doug Ward http://www.calypsoislandtours.com/blog/index.php/costa-rica/small-bird-costa-rica-variable-seedeater-blueblack-grasquit/comment-page-1/#comment-32903 Doug Ward Sat, 23 May 2009 10:29:17 +0000 http://www.calypsoislandtours.com/blog/?p=2236#comment-32903 Hanu is correct. I have a nest in my rancho right now. Grassquit it is. I can sit still and watch them less than 15 feet away. Hanu is correct. I have a nest in my rancho right now.
Grassquit it is. I can sit still and watch them less than 15 feet away.

]]> By: Hanumann http://www.calypsoislandtours.com/blog/index.php/costa-rica/small-bird-costa-rica-variable-seedeater-blueblack-grasquit/comment-page-1/#comment-32902 Hanumann Sat, 23 May 2009 06:55:56 +0000 http://www.calypsoislandtours.com/blog/?p=2236#comment-32902 Upon further review, I am concluding that this bird was a definitely a Blue-Black Grassquit. The hopping up and down does not have anything to with foraging but is a territorial display unique to the males of the species. This particular Grassquit is one of the most common birds observed in tropical America. The young bird guide from Guayabo National Monument who mistakenly identified this bird as a Variable Seedeater needs to learn his local birds, that's for sure! Upon further review, I am concluding that this bird was a definitely a Blue-Black Grassquit. The hopping up and down does not have anything to with foraging but is a territorial display unique to the males of the species. This particular Grassquit is one of the most common birds observed in tropical America.

The young bird guide from Guayabo National Monument who mistakenly identified this bird as a Variable Seedeater needs to learn his local birds, that’s for sure!

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