Catamenia homochroa
The Paramo Seedeater (Catamenia homochroa) is a small, finch-like tanager, typically measuring 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length and weighing around 10-15 grams. Males are distinctively dusky gray overall, with a paler, often whitish belly, and a striking chestnut-rufous rump and undertail coverts that serve as the primary field mark for identification. Females, in contrast, are duller, exhibiting an olive-brown plumage heavily streaked with dusky markings on the underparts, making them signifi...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude paramo, montane grasslands, and shrubby borders of elfin forests, typically found between 2,000 and 4,000 meters (6,500-13,000 ft) above sea level.
The diet of the Paramo Seedeater consists predominantly of small seeds, particularly from grasses and herbaceous plants, supplemented with a smaller proportion of insects.
Paramo Seedeaters are diurnal and generally found foraging on the ground or in low vegetation. They primarily glean seeds from grasses and forbs, moving deliberately through the sparse vegetation. Males establish breeding territories, often singing their simple, buzzy songs from prominent perches...
The Paramo Seedeater is a resident species, with a broad but disjunct distribution along the Andes Mountains of South America. Its range extends from the extreme west of Venezuela, through the paramo zones of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and south into western Bolivia. Within this extensive distribut...
Least Concern
- The Paramo Seedeater is a true high-altitude specialist, rarely found below 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) and thriving in environments where few other birds exist. - Its scientific name, *homochroa*, means 'uniformly colored,' a somewhat ironic description given the male's distinct chestnut rump an...