White-rimmed Brushfinch

Overview

The white-rimmed brushfinch is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, commonly known as the New World sparrows. It is a year-round resident classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a population that is believed to be stable despite its small range.

Identification

• About 18 cm long with a large dark rusty crown, hindcrown, and upper nape.
• A distinctive white ring around the eye that extends to the rear in a teardrop shape, with the rest of the face black.
• Upperparts, wings, and tail are mostly blackish gray with a hint of olive on the rump and uppertail coverts.
• Dark brown iris, blackish bill, and dull pinkish to dusky gray legs and feet.

Habitat

Found in Colombia and Ecuador, inhabiting dense undergrowth in the interior and edges of wet forest where it favors a mix of thickets and low woodland. It ranges from 2,100 to 3,000 m in Colombia and 2,200 to 3,100 m in Ecuador. The species is considered uncommon in Colombia and very local in Ecuador.

Diet

The diet has not been extensively studied but is known to include berries. It usually forages singly, in pairs, or in small groups, moving through dense foliage on the ground and up to about 5 m above it. It sometimes joins mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Abundant landslides occur in areas occupied by this brush-finch, and these may create the habitat mosaic it prefers.