Photo: Aitor / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-black Grosbeak
Cyanoloxia cyanoides
Blue-black Grosbeak (Cyanoloxia cyanoides) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue-black Grosbeak (Cyanoloxia cyanoides) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 32.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cardinalidae Cardinals & Allies
- Genus Cyanoloxia
- Species cyanoides
Where it lives
Southeastern Mexico to northwestern Venezuela and northwestern Peru
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue-black Grosbeak is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blue-black Grosbeak is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-black Grosbeak (Cyanoloxia cyanoides) is a member of the Cardinalidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA se Mexico to nw Venezuela and nw Peru.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.5 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 877,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-black Grosbeak?
The Blue-black Grosbeak is a small bird that weighs around 32.5 g.
Where does the Blue-black Grosbeak live?
The Blue-black Grosbeak is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA se Mexico to nw Venezuela and nw Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Blue-black Grosbeak belong to?
The Blue-black Grosbeak (Cyanoloxia cyanoides) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blue-black Grosbeak eat?
The Blue-black Grosbeak is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Blue-black Grosbeak migrate?
The Blue-black Grosbeak is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-black Grosbeak endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Blue-black Grosbeak make?
1 real field recording of the Blue-black Grosbeak — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blue-black Grosbeak's range?
The Blue-black Grosbeak has a mapped global range of about 877,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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