The Story
I photographed this juvenile Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris) at La Esmeralda Hostal, in the vereda Pastales near Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia, in October 2019. It feeds mainly on mistletoe berries and other small fruit, with a few insects. Males are glossy blue-black above and bright yellow below, with a yellow forehead, while females are olive-green. Both sexes build the nest, a globe with a side entrance made of twigs, leaves and plant fibers. It usually forages in pairs or small groups and often joins mixed-species flocks. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3200. It occurs in many protected areas, and although most of its habitat is unprotected, it appears to be at little risk in the near term.
©2020 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