Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor Scientific name definitions

The Blue Seedeater is one of only four species in the small genus Amaurospiza, which has a quite convoluted taxonomic history and includes one of the most recently described of Neotropical birds, the Carrizal Seedeater (Amaurospiza carrizalensis). The entire genus was for a long time placed within the Emberizidae family, but genetic analyses showed they are closely related to the Passerina buntings and the Cyanoloxia grosbeaks, with which they share the general pattern of bluish males and warm brown females. Blue Seedeater males are uniform blackish with a noticeable blue gloss, while females are warm cinnamon brown and otherwise unmarked.

There are currently two subspecies recognized within Amaurospiza concolor. It was for a long time considered conspecific with the Ecuadorian Seedeater (Amaurospiza aequatorialis), and some authors have suggested that the isolated northern subspecies relicta, of southwestern Mexico, could represent a separate species as well.

The Blue Seedeater occurs from Mexico south to Panama. It is usually defined as a bamboo specialist. Bamboo seeds irregularly, and when it does, it does so over a large stretch with all plants synchronized. It is this concentrated and easy-to-find food that the seedeaters are after. Due to this close association with these plants it is usually considered a very local, rare species and difficult to spot throughout its distribution. Also because of this association, this resident species may engage in nomadic movements, following the flowering of bamboo.