The Story
I photographed this Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris) at Finca Ecoturística San Javier, in the vereda Chucuní near Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia, at about 726 meters. Finca San Javier is run by a trio of conservation-minded women. Its bright yellow chest and deep blue head stand out against the green of the reserve. It lives in humid forest, forest edges and plantations, and its range runs from Costa Rica south to Bolivia and Brazil. It feeds mainly on mistletoe fruit and other small fruits, often in pairs or small groups. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I photographed it with a Canon R5 and the RF 800mm f/11, at 1/250 sec, f/11, ISO 3200, −0.5 EV. Finca San Javier offers guided birding as part of its work to help conserve tropical dry forest.
©2024 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris) belongs to the family Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List
