Perija Brushfinch

Overview

The Perija brushfinch (Arremon perijanus) is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae found in Colombia and Venezuela. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a population that is believed to be stable despite threats to lower forests.

Identification

• Approximately 19 cm (7.5 in) long with identical plumage in both sexes.
• Features a black crown with a central gray stripe and a gray supercilium extending to the nape and down the breast, set against a black face.
• Olive-green upperparts, wings, and tail contrast with a white throat marked by a narrow black band and a white center breast.
• Song is a very high-pitched, hummingbird-like phrase consisting of "seeuw.. see.. teechew" repeated for about two seconds.

Habitat

Restricted to the Serranía del Perijá, straddling the border between northern Colombia and western Venezuela. It inhabits humid montane forest, favoring the undergrowth at edges between 700 and 1,900 m in elevation.

Diet

Although its specific diet has not been studied, it forages singly or in pairs on the ground under vegetative cover, pushing aside leaf litter with its bill.

Did you know?

Its song is described as being remarkably similar to that of a hummingbird, despite the species being a brushfinch.