Black-headed Brushfinch

Overview

The black-headed brushfinch (Arremon atricapillus) is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae, the New World sparrows, found in Colombia and Panama. It is currently assessed as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Adults possess an almost entirely black head with a white throat that continues through the breast and belly, contrasting with olive-green upperparts, wings, and tail.
• The bird measures approximately 19 cm in length and weighs about 49.5 g, featuring a black bill, dark chestnut-brown irises, and blackish legs and feet.
• The song consists of a high-pitched series of rambling notes that proceed without breaks, accompanied by a sharp call.

Habitat

This species inhabits lowland and montane evergreen forest, secondary forest, and elfin forest, where it favours dense undergrowth in the interior and edges. Its range covers the Western, Central, and Eastern ranges of the Colombian Andes and eastern Panama, typically at elevations between 500 and 1,500 m, though some sources suggest a higher upper limit.

Diet

The diet includes insects and seeds, though it has not been extensively studied. The bird typically forages singly or in pairs on the ground, usually under vegetative cover, by scratching in leaf litter with its bill.

Did you know?

The species has a complicated taxonomic history, having been formally described in 1874 as Buarremon atricapillus before being reassigned as a subspecies of the stripe-headed brushfinch and finally split into its own species following a 2010 study.