Tepui Brushfinch

Overview

The tepui brushfinch (Atlapetes personatus) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. It is a year-round resident found in Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela.

Identification

• Length of 17 to 18 cm and weight of 29 to 37 g.
• Plumage varies by subspecies, with the nominate having a cinnamon rufous head, yellow throat, and grey upperparts, while others feature black backs and chestnut breasts.
• A dark brown to black bill and blackish brown or dusky pink legs.
• Dawn song described as 'exuberant outbursts' with sounds like 'speek! speek! speeu-TEE-tu'tu'tu'.

Habitat

This species inhabits the edges and understory of dense humid montane forest, with specific preferences for secondary forest on white-sand soil or bamboo stands depending on the location. It ranges in elevation between 1,000 and 2,500 m in Venezuela, with an extremely disjunct distribution across various tepuis.

Diet

The diet includes insects, seeds, and fruits. It usually forages in pairs or family groups from the forest's understory to its mid-story, sometimes on the ground, and occasionally joins mixed-species feeding flocks while cocking or flipping its tail.

Did you know?

The species exhibits 'exuberant outbursts at dawn' but remains generally quiet during the day, with excited pairs singing in duet.