Yellow-throated euphonia

Euphonia hirundinacea

Photo by David Welch (David Welch Art)

Common name:
yellow-throated euphonia (en); gaturamo-de-garganta-amarela (pt); organiste à gorge jaune (fr); fruterito gorjiamarillo (es); schwalbenorganist (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Thraupidae

Range:
This species is found in Central America, from eastern and south-eastern Mexico down to Costa Rica.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 15 g.

Habitat:
The yellow-throated euphonia is found in both moist and dry tropical forests, in gallery forests, rural gardens, second growths and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits and berries, particularly mistletoe berries. They are know to eat berries that are poisonous to other species. They also take small insects from the foliage.

Breeding:
Yellow-throated euphonias breed in March-September. The nest is a globular structure with a side entrance, placed on a stump, at the base of a palm frond, on an epiphyte or on a fence pole, usually 1-15 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-5 white eggs with brown spots, which she incubates alone for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.