Saltator similis
The Green-winged Saltator (Saltator similis) is a robust and engaging passerine of the family Thraupidae, often mistaken for a large finch due to its stout bill and stocky build. Measuring approximately 20-22 cm (8-9 inches) in length and weighing 40-60 grams, its plumage features a distinctive olive-green back and wings, which give it its common name, contrasting with a clean white throat boldly framed by a black malar stripe. Its underparts are pale grayish, often with warm rufous-buff flan...
This adaptable species inhabits forest edges, open woodlands, secondary growth, suburban parks, and gardens, preferring areas with dense shrubbery and often found near water bodies, at low to moderate elevations.
Omnivorous, the Green-winged Saltator primarily consumes a varied diet of fruits, seeds, buds, and a significant amount of insects and other invertebrates, foraging by gleaning from foliage and probing.
The Green-winged Saltator is a diurnal species, often most active during the cooler parts of the day, particularly early mornings and late afternoons. It forages deliberately, gleaning insects and fruit from foliage and branches, and occasionally dropping to the ground to pick up fallen seeds or ...
The Green-winged Saltator is a resident species widely distributed across southeastern South America. Its primary range extends from southern and southeastern Brazil, specifically from the states of São Paulo south through Rio Grande do Sul. It continues southwest through eastern Paraguay and enc...
Least Concern
- The Green-winged Saltator was formerly classified in the family Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Grosbeaks) due to its stout, finch-like bill, but genetic studies have firmly placed it within Thraupidae (Tanagers). - It is well-known for its beautiful, melodious song, which is a common sound in its ...