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 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak
 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak
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Crimson-collared Grosbeak Periporphyrus celaeno Scientific name definitions

David Brewer
Version: 1.1 — Published October 24, 2023
Revision Notes

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Introduction

Endemic to northeast Mexico, the Crimson-collared Grosbeak is a generally uncommon resident on the Atlantic slope of the country at altitudes between sea level and approximately 1,200 m, although it is also a rare visitor, principally in the boreal winter north to extreme southern Texas. Both sexes are striking-plumaged birds. The male has a blackish face and throat, wings, and tail, with a crimson-red collar and most of the underparts, and two narrow wingbars. Females, in contrast, are mainly olive-green, but also possess the black face and throat, and both sexes possess a reasonably large and predominantly black bill.

Field Identification

21–22 cm; one female 60 g. Male has crown, face, ear coverts, chin, throat and upper chest black, nape dark crimson, mantle deep dull crimson, back and rump black with dull crimson feather edges; upperwing blackish, wing coverts with very fine dark crimson edges; rectrices dull black; underparts dark crimson, some black mottling in centre of chest; iris brown; upper mandible pale blue-gray with blackish tip and on cutting edge, lower mandible blackish with pale blue-gray base; legs gray. Female is essentially similar to male, but all crimson areas ­replaced by olive on upperparts and by olive-yellow on underparts, and wing and tail olive-green; bill blackish, with blue-gray base of lower mandible. Immature male has dark crimson of adult replaced by dull olive-yellow, belly with extensive black mottling; immature female has face and throat black, but chest sooty gray.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Atlantic slope of northeastern Mexico from central Nuevo León, southern Tamaulipas and eastern San Luis Potosí, south to Querétaro, Hidalgo, northeastern Puebla and northern Veracruz; casual in winter to southern Texas.

Habitat

Humid to semi-arid brushy woodland and edge, second growth; also citrus groves and sweet gums (Liquidambar). Sea-level to ca. 1,200 m.

Movement

Apparently sedentary. Some movement or wandering: numerous records in southern Texas (southern USA), 200 km and more north of normal range; some of these vagrants established territories.

Diet and Foraging

Frequently folivorous; stomach contents (Tamaulipas) chewed-up leaves of nightshade (Solanum verbascifolium), also some insects, but no seeds. Opportunistically feeds on fruit in citrus groves; also various other fruits such as mangos (Mangifera), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), chinaberry (Melia azedarach) etc. Vagrants in Texas seen to eat various fruits, including apple and citrus, and leaves of several plants, including potato tree (Solanum erianthum). Found singly and in pairs; joins mixed-species flocks. Forages at all levels in forest, sometimes descending to ground.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a rich to slightly burry warble, often upslurred at end; somewhat similar to that of Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), but with fewer curved or warbled notes. Calls include high, clear, penetrating slurred sseeuu or sseeeur, also a piercing seeip seeeiyu.

Breeding

Nest found in May. Apparently only one nest so far described, a loosely constructed cup of twigs, thinly lined and not deep, located 2 m up in tangle of vines and shrubbery. Clutch 2–3 eggs, pale bluish-gray with light brown spots all over; young apparently tended by female alone; no other information.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in northeastern Mexican Gulf Slope EBA. Fairly common to uncommon over much of range. Appears able to adapt to some habitat modification.

Distribution of the Crimson-collared Grosbeak - Range Map
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Distribution of the Crimson-collared Grosbeak
Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Abundance map
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Data provided by eBird

Crimson-collared Grosbeak

Periporphyrus celaeno

Abundance

Relative abundance is depicted for each season along a color gradient from a light color indicating lower relative abundance to a dark color indicating a higher relative abundance. Relative abundance is the estimated average count of individuals detected by an eBirder during a 1 hour, 1 kilometer traveling checklist at the optimal time of day for each species.   Learn more about this data

Relative abundance
Year-round
0.02
0.22
0.59

Recommended Citation

Brewer, D. (2023). Crimson-collared Grosbeak (Periporphyrus celaeno), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.crcgro.01.1
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