Black-throated Grosbeak
Open Bird Bucket List ↗
Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Saltator fuliginosus
- Spanish Name: Picogrueso gorjinegro
- Family: Thraupidae
- Known Nicknames: Black-throated Saltator
- Average Length: 20 cm / 8 in
- Average Weight: 45–60 g / 1.6–2.1 oz
- Wingspan: N/A
- Key Feature: Black throat and upper breast contrasting with gray upperparts and white belly
- Primary Diet: Omnivore (primarily frugivore and granivore, also insects)
- Range: Southeastern Brazil to eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina
- Habitat: Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, forest edges, and secondary growth
- Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs
- Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest in shrubs or low trees
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
- Population Trend: Stable
The Black-throated Grosbeak (*Saltator fuliginosus*) is a striking songbird of South America’s tropical lowlands, instantly recognizable by its bold, tuxedo-like plumage. The male boasts a deep sooty-black throat and bib that contrasts sharply with a slate-gray back, white underparts, and a vivid, heavy, orange-red bill—a beak uniquely adapted for cracking hard seeds and fruits. Its most special feature is a subtle, shimmering turquoise-blue patch on its wing coverts, often visible only in good light, adding an unexpected jewel-like flash to its otherwise monochrome palette. Despite its name, it is not a true grosbeak but a member of the tanager family, and its loud, cheerful whistled song—often a series of clear, rising notes—makes it a lively presence in forest edges and clearings, where it forages in pairs or small groups.
Fun Facts
Despite its name, the Black-throated Grosbeak isn’t a true grosbeak; it’s actually a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae), making it more closely related to colorful tropical birds than to northern finches. It exhibits a quirky “wing-flicking” display during courtship, where males rapidly flutter one wing while tilting their body to show off the bright white underwing patch. An interesting adaptation is its habit of occasionally eating small lizards and frogs alongside its usual fruit and insect diet, a surprisingly carnivorous twist for a bird that looks like a seed-eater. Its song is a loud, clear series of whistles often described as sounding like a human “wolf whistle,” which can confuse hikers into thinking someone is catcalling from the trees.
Habitats & Distribution
The Black-throated Grosbeak is primarily found in the humid lowland and foothill forests of northern South America, particularly within the Amazon basin. Its distribution spans from southern and eastern Colombia, through Venezuela, the Guianas, and into northern Brazil, reaching as far east as the mouth of the Amazon River. This species inhabits the dense understory and edges of tropical rainforests, often near water sources like rivers or streams, but it also adapts to secondary growth, clearings with tall shrubs, and forest fragments. It generally avoids open, treeless areas and occurs from sea level up to around 1,200 meters in elevation.
Behaviours & Reproduction
The Black-throated Grosbeak is a socially monogamous species, with pairs forming during the breeding season and remaining together to defend a small territory. Mating involves the male performing a series of short, fluttering flights while singing a loud, clear song from a prominent perch to attract a female. The pair then builds a cup-shaped nest, typically placed in a dense shrub or low tree fork. A unique reproductive strategy is the female’s reliance on a prolonged period of male provisioning; the male actively feeds the incubating female on the nest, and both parents share the duties of feeding the altricial young. Clutch size is usually two to three pale blue eggs with dark speckles, and the incubation period lasts about 13–14 days. Fledglings leave the nest after approximately two weeks but remain dependent on parental care for another month.
Diet
The Black-throated Grosbeak is primarily frugivorous, with a diet heavily centered on a wide variety of fruits, berries, and soft seeds, which it often plucks directly from trees and shrubs. Interestingly, while it favors sweet, pulpy fruits like those of the Cecropia and palm trees, it also exhibits a notable seasonal shift, consuming a significant amount of insects, caterpillars, and spiders during the breeding season to provide essential protein for its growing chicks. Another fascinating dietary trait is its occasional consumption of flower buds and nectar, supplementing its fruit-based intake with these energy-rich resources from the forest canopy.
Colors
The Black-throated Grosbeak (Saltator fuliginosus) is predominantly dark slate-gray to sooty black, with a distinctive solid black throat and bib that contrasts sharply with its pale, whitish-gray belly and undertail coverts. It has a thick, conical, pale horn-colored bill and dark eyes, with no notable sexual dimorphism in plumage. Its coloration provides effective camouflage against the dappled shadows of its humid forest understory habitat, where the dark upperparts break up its silhouette.
Distribution Map
Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Use the map filter to show only featured places.
Featured places
Tours where this species is featured
