Cyanoloxia brissonii
The Ultramarine Grosbeak, *Cyanoloxia brissonii*, is a spectacularly colored songbird renowned for the male's brilliant iridescent blue plumage. Males typically measure 15-16 cm (6-6.3 inches) in length and weigh 20-30g, showcasing a deep ultramarine blue that can appear almost black in dim light but shines luminously in the sun, contrasted by a robust, conical black bill. Females are distinctly duller, presenting in shades of olive-brown or rufous-brown, often with a paler bill, providing a ...
Found primarily in humid and semi-humid subtropical and tropical forests, preferring forest edges, clearings, secondary growth, plantations, and dense undergrowth. Typically occurs at low to moderate elevations, generally below 1,500 meters.
Primarily granivorous, consuming a diverse array of seeds from various grasses, shrubs, and trees, supplemented significantly by insects and other arthropods, particularly during the breeding season. Forages by gleaning and cracking food items.
Active predominantly during daylight hours, the Ultramarine Grosbeak is generally solitary or found in pairs, often remaining hidden within dense foliage. It forages methodically in the understory and lower to mid-canopy, gleaning insects from leaves and branches, and skillfully cracking open see...
The Ultramarine Grosbeak is widely distributed across eastern and central South America, with its range primarily spanning Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina, extending west into parts of Bolivia. Five recognized subspecies contribute to this broad distribution: *C. b. brissoni...
Least Concern
- The Ultramarine Grosbeak's scientific name *brissonii* honors Mathurin Jacques Brisson, an 18th-century French zoologist. - Its dazzling blue plumage is not due to pigments, but rather to the structural properties of its feathers, which scatter blue light, a phenomenon known as structural color...