Crimson-breasted Finch
Rhodospingus cruentus
Small finch-like bird restricted to the lowlands of western Ecuador, northwestern Peru, and extreme southwestern Colombia. Male is glossy-black with fiery red underparts and crown. Female is tan with a buffy-tinged breast; she is similar to some female seedeaters, but has a more slender bill. Typically found alone or in pairs in forest understory, tangled scrub, and overgrown clearings.
Taxonomy
The crimson-breasted finch was formally described in 1844 by the French naturalist René Lesson under the binomial name Tiaris cruentus . The type locality is Guayaquil in Ecuador. The crimson-breasted finch is now the only species placed in the genus Rhodospingus that was erected by the English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1888. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek rhodon meaning "rose" and spingos meaning "finch". The specific epithet cruentus is the Latin word for "bloody". The crimson-breasted finch is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Rhodospingus cruentus
- Authority
- (Lesson, RP, 1844)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Rhodospingus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
White-capped Dipper
Cinclus leucocephalus
The only dipper in its range, and thus unlikely to be confused. Chunky and boldly patterned in blackish and white, with obvious white crown and underparts (somewhat variable in different parts of range). Sexes similar. A denizen of fast-moving streams and rivers with plenty of rocks to perch on. Fairly widely distributed in the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia; can be found from 700–3,500 m. Usually seen singly or in pairs, quite conspicuous as they perch on boulders or fly along the river. Gives a piercing “dzeet!” call, especially in flight.
Phoenix Petrel
Pterodroma alba
A long-winged petrel, predominantly dark with a gleaming white belly. Throat patch often shows pale speckling, and birds sometimes appear distinctly pale-throated. Key identification feature is the prominent pale bar at the leading edge of the dark underwing between the elbow and body. Similar in pattern to Tahiti Petrel, but much smaller-billed and sometimes shows a pale throat. Usually flies with wings bent at the elbow, unlike the remarkably straight-winged Tahiti Petrel. Silent at sea.
Large-tailed Antshrike
Mackenziaena leachii
Medium-sized antshrike with a rather small head, a short robust bill, and a long tail. Males are black with white spots and an entirely black tail while females are black with cinnamon spots and barring throughout. Mostly seen in pairs in the dense understory of humid forests closer to bamboo, can be active but hard to see. The song is a loud and clear series of ascending and descending notes.
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