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, Hemme Batjes, Adam Betuel and Arne Lesterhuis and is used with their permission.
GOLDEN-BILLED SALTATOR Saltator aurantiirostris
Despite its massive bill, stocky body and somewhat brutish appearance, the Golden-billed Saltator is one of the sweetest singers in the Chaco. You have to get up early to catch the performance though, as the birds perch up at first light to deliver a pleasant whistling melody. With its striking orange-yellow bill and distinctive head pattern it is often mistaken for the Many-coloured Chaco-Finch which occurs alongside him, but the Saltator is much bigger, duller and lacks any white on the tail.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPAVE1423PH) Adult, Laguna Capitán, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 2 - (FPAVE1424PH) Adult ventral view, Laguna Capitán, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Hemme Batjes July 2006).
FIGURE 3 - (FPAVE4150PH) Adult, Laguna Capitán, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith February 2015).
FIGURE 4 - (FPAVE1425PH) Adult, Campo Maria Private Nature Reserve, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Arne Lesterhuis July 2007).
FIGURE 5 - (FPAVE1426PH) Adult dorsal view, Laguna Capitán, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 6 - (FPAVE1427PH) Juvenile, Campo Maria Private Nature Reserve, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Arne Lesterhuis July 2007).
FIGURE 7 - (FPAVE1428PH) Adult, PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 8 - (FPAVE1429PH) Same individual as (FPAVE1428PH) upperwing (Adam Betuel July 2006)
FIGURE 9 - (FPAVE1430PH) Juvenile, PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón  (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 10 - (FPAVE1431PH) Same individual as (FPAVE1430PH) upperwing (Paul Smith July 2006).
VIDEO - (FPAVE1432VI) Adult singing, north of Teniente Montanía, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith September 2010).
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9

FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10

FIGURE 10
Saltator aurantiirostris
1 (FPAVE1433RE) Song  recorded Laguna Capitán, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur  (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.