Olive-grey saltator

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Olive-grey saltator

The olive-grey saltator (Saltator olivascens), also known as the Caribbean grey saltator, is a quiet grey passerine in the tanager family. It lives in northern South America, from Colombia and Venezuela to the Guianas, far northern Brazil, and Trinidad. It was split from related saltators in 2021 as its voice, genetics, and range differ from similar species. There are three subspecies: olivascens, plumbeus, and brewsteri.

Appearance:
It has a thick black bill with a slight hook, a white eyebrow, and a thin white crescent under the eye. Black malar stripes flank a white throat. The back is dark grey and the belly is light grey with some buff on the flanks. Despite the name, it is not very olive; juveniles are olive-yellow. Both sexes look alike.

Habitat and behavior:
This bird stays in its range year-round (non-migratory). It favors forest edges, shrublands, wetlands, and second-growth, and it adapts well to orchards, gardens, and parks. It is active mainly during the day, singing from the canopy but foraging at all levels.

Diet:
Its diet is mostly fruit and leaves (about 64%), including flower buds, seeds, and flowers. It feeds its chicks with insects and will eat insects as an adult in dry times. It prefers fruits and tender vegetation, like morning glory flowers.

Nesting and reproduction:
Olive-grey saltators nest in dense vegetation with bulky open-cup nests made of plant material (sometimes paper). They lay about 2–3 eggs that are light blue with black markings. Both parents sing; they may duet.

Voice:
Their song is described as a stuttering, harsh sequence of notes, with a mix of high and low sounds. Their call is a short high-pitched “tseet.”

Conservation status:
The IUCN lists the olive-grey saltator as Least Concern. It is common within its range and tolerates human-modified habitats.