Yellow-faced Grassquit

Yellow-faced Grassquit 

 (Tiaris olivaceus)

Photographed in  Holguin, Cuba    May 2018 

Male

The Yellow-faced Grassquit is a small grayish-green finch that occurs from southeastern Mexico south to northern South America, and Caribbean islands. It is a common species that occurs in open grassy fields, pastures, roadsides, and clearings. Grassquits often travel in loose flocks, sometimes associating with other species, and primarily forage on grass seeds.

Female

The adult male’s forehead, sides of face and of throat, and breast black. The chin and upper throat are dark yellow. Crown, back, wing coverts, and tail olive green. Belly and flanks grayish green. Bend of wing yellow. Females have olive green upperparts, with a faint buff-yellow.

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Blk Faced Grassquit

Black-faced Grassquit

 (Tiaris bicolor)

Photographed at Rockland’s bird sanctuary, Jamaica  Aug 2013

St Thomas, USVI     Mar 2015

Black-faced Grassquit is a small tanager, very dark olive-gray with black head, breast, bill, legs and feet. Very common in the West Indies and feeds mainly on seeds, especially of grasses and weeds. The flight is weak, bouncy and fluttering. Alternates rapid wing beats with pulling wings to body.

The Grassquit were long considered sparrows, but recent molecular studies have placed them in the tanagers, closely related to Darwin’s “finches”. Casual visitor to South Florida.

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