Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Roberto Derna and Teatske Nieuborg and is used with their permission.
ULTRAMARINE GROSBEAK Cyanocompsa brissonii
He´s blue, big and with the sort of nutcracking bill that makes you cross your legs, male Ultramarine Grosbeaks at least are not likely to be confused. Females on the other hand are big and brown, the largest of a group of unrelated brown birds with massive bills that all essentially share the same plumage pattern. By the way, should you come across one of these birds injured, wear gloves before you touch it. They bite hard!!
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE538PH) Adult male, Bahía Negra, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Teatske Nieuborg 2007).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE539PH) Adult male in heavy moult, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith February 2006).
FIGURE 3 - (FPAVE540PH) Same individual upperwing (Paul Smith February 2006).
FIGURE 4 - (FPAVE541PH) Female, Fortín Boquerón, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 5 - (FPAVE3325PH) Immature male, Encarnación, Deparatmento Itapúa (Roberto Derna September 2011).
VIDEO A - (FPAVE542VI) Adult male, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith June 2007).
VIDEO B - (FPAVE543VI) Pair, Fortín Boquerón, Deparatmento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith November 2010).
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Cyanocompsa brissonii
1 (FPAVE544RE) Male song in response to playback  recorded near Loma Plata, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).
Click the link to hear the call. Longer versions of this call can be downloaded from the Paraguay page of our partner website Xeno-Canto - the largest collection of freely downloadable Neotropical bird calls available online.