About Saltatricula multicolor (Burmeister, 1860)
Saltatricula multicolor is a large, attractive finch that is common in the Gran Chaco. In winter, it is a frequent member of mixed ground-feeding, seed-eating flocks. This species has a yellow bill and a distinctive head pattern, and is often mistaken for the Golden-billed Saltator that occurs alongside it. However, the Golden-billed Saltator is much larger, duller, and lacks any white on the tail. These birds are often seen in pairs or groups of five or six foraging on the ground among low bushes, in burned areas, or at the borders of fields or thickets. Their light coloration makes them easy to spot. When startled, they will fly into bushes for safety. Their call is an insistent chipping note, similar to that of a junco. Males have a dark mouse-gray maxilla; the cutting edge of the maxilla and the entire mandible are mustard yellow; the iris is natal brown; the tarsus and toes are neutral gray. Juveniles have dull black bills, with cutting edges faintly marked with dull yellow. The species measures 18 cm in length and weighs 25 g on average.
