Spot-crowned euphonia Euphonia imitans

Tiny finch with a very limited range in Costa Rica and Panama. Male has typical euphonia plumage: dark steely-blue upperparts with yellow belly and crown and dark throat. Namesake spots on rear end of crown can be very difficult to see in the field. But note yellow is mostly restricted to front half of crown, whereas Yellow-crowned Euphonia has more extensive yellow crown. Scrub Euphonia is very similar, but ranges do not overlap. Female Spot-crowned is actually more distinctive than male; no other euphonia in range has rufous belly and forecrown. Found in pairs or small groups at all levels of lowland forest and edge, up to around 1,300 m.