Bolivian Brushfinch

Overview

The Bolivian brushfinch (Atlapetes rufinucha) is a New World sparrow endemic to Bolivia and classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. It comprises two subspecies that were formally split from a broader complex of brushfinches in the early twenty-first century to avoid taxonomic confusion.

Identification

• Measures approximately 17 cm in length and weighs 21 to 22 g, with a dark reddish iris, black bill, and blackish grey legs and feet.
• The nominate subspecies features a blackish forehead and face with a bright yellow spot above the lores and a yellow 'moustache' bordered by a blackish line, contrasting with a rufous crown and nape.
• Upperparts are blackish with a greenish wash on the rump, while underparts are bright yellow with a greenish tinge on the flanks; subspecies A. r. carrikeri is smaller, lacks the yellow lore spot, and has olive-greenish upperparts.
• Vocalisations include a simple song transcribed as "weew Chéééw!" or "cheuu tch-weééé" and a call described as a high "zziiip".

Habitat

The species has a disjunct distribution across the Bolivian Andes, ranging from 1,200 to 3,600 m in elevation. It inhabits semi-open landscapes such as the edges of montane and Yungas forest, shrubby pastures, and secondary forest, and is a year-round resident.

Diet

Although the specific diet has not been studied, the bird forages on the ground or slightly above it within vegetation, typically moving in pairs or family groups.

Did you know?

The species was renamed the Bolivian brushfinch in the early twenty-first century to distinguish it from the pre-split version of the group, a taxonomic revision necessitated by the splitting of most former subspecies into separate species.