Common Chlorospingus
Chlorospingus flavopectus
eBird offers this description of the Common Chlorospingus: Active, social little bird of humid evergreen and pine-evergreen forest in foothills and highlands. Usually in small, twittering groups (at times up to 40 birds), moving at all levels through forest and edge, often at fruiting trees and bushes; commonly a core member of mixed-species feeding flocks. Rather drab but distinctive, with dull greenish upperparts, grayish to brownish head (varies regionally), and bold white patch behind the eye. Formerly known as Common Bush-Tanager.
The Birds of the World website introduces the Common Chlorospingus with this descriptive information: A very widespread Neotropical passerine, the Common Bush-Tanager is found in highland regions virtually throughout Middle America, from Mexico southwards, and the Andean chain in South America, reaching its southernmost point in northwest Argentina. It is generally found in small (presumably family) groups, sometimes with mixed-species flocks in the undergrowth of cloud forests and their borders. Virtually all of the species’ many subspecific populations are characterized by having a white post-ocular spot, brownish-colored head, greener upperparts, and yellowish underparts. Their taxonomy is complex. Although South American taxa have yet to be subjected to detailed systematic scrutiny, those in Middle America have been suggested, on the basis of both genetic and morphological data, to represent at least five different species, of which four of them are endemic to Mexico. Undoubtedly, under such principles, it is probable that additional, multiple species are likely to be recognized under the Phylogenetic Species Concept over the rest of the Common Bush-Tanager’s range.
I met, and photographed, my first on the afternoon of Sunday, February 12, 2023 in Costa Rica. Our birding group with Tropical Birding Tours was near the Hummingbird Gallery of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve when we spotted this bird. I was grateful to be able to get some good looks at this bird and some passable photos.
