Pale-headed Brushfinch
Atlapetes pallidiceps
Endangered brushfinch endemic to a tiny area of the Andes in southern Ecuador. Almost all of the known population lives in and around the Yunguilla Reserve above the town of Santa Isabel. Rather drab compared to other brushfinches, and best identified by the pale crown and throat, dark smudges on the face, and white spot in the wing. Typically stays low in dry forest and scrub, and sometimes feeds on the ground. Sometimes visits feeders within the Yunguilla Reserve.
Identification
The pale-headed brushfinch (Atlapetes pallidiceps) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. It is endemic to the Jubones River drainage in south-central Ecuador.
Taxonomy
Genus: Atlapetes; Family: Passerellidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Atlapetes pallidiceps
- Authority
- (Sharpe, 1900)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Atlapetes
Range and habitat
Atlapetes pallidiceps thrives in regenerating landslides and fallow fields at elevations of 1,650 to 1,950 meters. This bird's habitat, concentrated in the Yunguilla Valley near Girón, Azuay, features dense low scrub, small clearings, and Chusquea bamboo patches. The species, often seen in pairs foraging within 2 meters of the ground, strategically places nests in thickets of small bushes or bamboo. Limited to the río Jubones drainage in Azuay and Loja, south Ecuador, Atlapetes pallidiceps remains primarily localized within identified patches, emphasizing its habitat specificity.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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