Bird field guide · Tanagers and Allies

Photographing the Blue-black Grassquit

How to photograph the Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (June, July and August).

10–20 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina)
Photo: © Dario Sanches, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist
10–20 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
6,424
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 15 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally. Small birds demand long lenses and a close approach — a blind or feeder setup helps.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)367 mm536 mm245 mm183 mm
10 m (33 ft)734 mm1,071 mm489 mm367 mm
15 m (49 ft)1,101 mm1,607 mm734 mm550 mm
20 m (66 ft)1,468 mm2,143 mm979 mm734 mm
30 m (98 ft)2,202 mm3,214 mm1,468 mm1,101 mm
50 m (164 ft)3,669 mm5,357 mm2,446 mm1,835 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 6% Jan Feb: 6% Feb Mar: 7% Mar Apr: 10% Apr May: 11% May Jun: 12% Jun Jul: 15% Jul Aug: 12% Aug Sep: 8% Sep Oct: 5% Oct Nov: 4% Nov Dec: 4% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: June, July and August.

About the Blue-black Grassquit#

The blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) is a small bird in the tanager family, Thraupidae. It was previously classified in the bunting and American sparrow family, Emberizidae. It breeds from southern Mexico through Central America, and South America as far as northern Chile, Argentina and Paraguay, and on Trinidad and Tobago.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Bright colours pop in soft overcast light.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in June, July and August, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Tanagers and Allies#

Blue-gray Tanager Blue-gray TanagerThraupis episcopus Cinnamon-rumped SeedeaterSporophila torqueola Scarlet-rumped Tanager Scarlet-rumped TanagerRamphocelus passerinii Bananaquit BananaquitCoereba flaveola Morelet's Seedeater Morelet's SeedeaterSporophila morelleti Red-legged HoneycreeperCyanerpes cyaneus Cinnamon-bellied SaltatorSaltator grandis

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Blue-black Grassquit?

At about 15 cm long, a blue-black grassquit fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 734 mm, or at 20 m with 1,468 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Blue-black Grassquit?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Blue-black Grassquit?

Observations in North America peak in June, July and August. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources