Green-striped Brushfinch

Overview

The green-striped brushfinch (Arremon virenticeps) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, endemic to Mexico. It is a year-round resident classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with an estimated population of at least 20,000 mature individuals that is believed to be declining.

Identification

• Adults measure 17 to 19 cm in length and weigh 31 to 39 g, with identical plumage in both sexes.
• Characterised by a black crown with a wide yellowish olive-green central stripe, a white spot above the lores, and a wide olive-yellow supercilium on an otherwise black face.
• Upperparts, wings, and tail are olive-green with yellow at the wing bend; throat and upper breast are white, flanks are olive-green, and remaining underparts are grayish.
• Possesses a black bill and pinkish gray to dark brown legs and feet, with a light brown to red-brown iris.
• Song is a variable, often prolonged series of high, thin notes with a jerky, irregular rhythm; call is a high, thin, sharp 'ssii'.

Habitat

Found in western Mexico with a disjunct distribution, inhabiting semi-humid to humid montane evergreen forest, pine-oak forest, and fir forest in subtropical and temperate zones. Elevational range varies by source but generally falls between 1,500 and 3,500 m.

Diet

The diet is assumed to consist of insects and seeds, although it has not been specifically studied. The bird forages on or near the ground in dense vegetation, usually singly or in pairs.

Did you know?

Nests are deep cups constructed from grass, dry leaves, and pine needles, lined with fine rootlets and cattle hair, and placed in dense shrubs between 1 and 1.5 m above the ground.