Bird Guide

Olive-backed Euphonia vs Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Olive-backed Euphonia (Euphonia gouldi)

Olive-backed Euphonia

Euphonia gouldi

Tiny14 gForest

The olive-backed euphonia is 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in) long and weighs about 11 to 16 g (0.39 to 0.56 oz). It is a small euphonia with a thick stubby bill. The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a yellow forehead; the patch extends to the rear of the eye and sometimes has light black flecks. The rest of their crown, and their nape, upperparts, and tail are olive-green. All of them except the uppertail coverts have a bluish gray gloss. Voice: The olive-backed euphonia's song is "a rapid jumble of chatters, buzzes, and harsh whistles". Its calls "include a chi'chi'chi'cheet and a liquid tsip'please-seeee'up!. Another description of its song is "a rambling medley of whistles, chatters and staccato notes, some dry and chaffy, some musical" that may continue for a long time.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK · CC BY 2.0
Yellow-crowned Euphonia (Euphonia luteicapilla)

Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Euphonia luteicapilla

Tiny13 gForest

The yellow-crowned euphonia is about 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in) long and weighs 11.4 to 14.5 g (0.40 to 0.51 oz). It has a short stubby bill. The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males have a large yellow forecrown and crown; the color extends well past the eye. The rest of their head, nape, and throat are glossy blue-black. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are also glossy blue-black. Their breast, belly, and undertail coverts are bright yellow. Adult females have an olive head, upperparts, wings, and tail with a yellowish tinge on the forehead. Voice: The yellow-crowned euphonia sings "a short, dry sputtering series of notes, e.g. pit ditrééa-twiddledee bee bee" that has also been described as "a short wiry chut-tsip ts’tsew tsiuweer". Its call is "a series of 2–3 clear high whistled notes that may be given at varying speed, ee-bee-bee" or given as a longer series "beebee, peepeepee". It also makes "tsit notes" as a contact and flight call.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Beth Cottam · CC0
Photo: Navin Sasikumar · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Olive-backed Euphonia and Yellow-crowned Euphonia.