Saltator coerulescens
The Bluish-grey Saltator, *Saltator coerulescens*, is a charming and widespread Neotropical songbird, instantly recognizable by its unassuming yet elegant plumage and distinctive facial markings. Measuring approximately 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 inches) in length and weighing 35-55 grams, adults exhibit a soft bluish-grey coloration across their upperparts, head, and breast, contrasting with a paler, often buffy-tinged belly and flanks. A crisp white supercilium (eyebrow stripe) above a dark loral ma...
Found in open woodlands, shrubby areas, forest edges, savannas, gardens, and urban parks, often near water sources, primarily at low to mid-elevations.
Omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of fruits, berries, seeds, flower buds, and insects (such as caterpillars and beetles), primarily gleaned from vegetation.
Typically observed singly or in pairs, the Bluish-grey Saltator is a diurnal species, active throughout the day. It forages deliberately, gleaning fruits, seeds, buds, and insects from dense foliage and branches within the shrub layer and lower canopy, often working its way through thickets. They...
The Bluish-grey Saltator boasts an expansive and continuous resident range extending from southern Mexico, across Central America (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama), and throughout much of northern and central South America. Its distribution in South America...
Least Concern
- The name 'Saltator' comes from Latin, meaning 'leaper' or 'dancer,' describing their agile movements through dense vegetation. - Its song is widely considered one of the most beautiful and melodious among Neotropical birds, often described as rich, fluty, and sweet. - Despite its 'bluish-grey' ...