Black-headed Greenfinch
Chloris ambigua
Handsome yellowish finch with daffodil-yellow wing patches and a dark head. Streaky olive-yellow overall with grayish striping on the back and underparts. Male has a darker head than the female. Usually encountered foraging in small flocks or flying overhead. Inhabits open forests, forest edge, fields, and village fringes in hilly and montane regions. Song is a series of wheezy notes with bursts of trills and “tinks” in between. Most common call is a high twitter, often heard as the bird flies overhead. Other calls include wheezy and raspy sounds reminiscent of the song.
Taxonomy
The black-headed greenfinch was described by the French zoologist Émile Oustalet in 1896 and given the binomial name Chysomitris ambigua. In the past the black-headed greenfinch was included with the other greenfinches in the genus Carduelis but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the greenfinches are not closely related to the other species in the genus Carduelis and they are now placed in the resurrected genus Chloris. The genus had originally been introduced by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1800. The word Chloris is from the Ancient Greek word khlōris for the European greenfinch; the specific epithet ambigua is from the Latin ambiguus for "doubtful".<p>Two subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Chloris ambigua
- Authority
- (Oustalet, 1896)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Chloris
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Tall terrestrial predator of the Chaco region. Plumage distinctively shaggy. Prefers dense, spiny vegetation, often with thick undergrowth, but can occur in nearby open areas. Smaller and shyer than Red-legged Seriema. Despite its large size, can be difficult to see, and is more often detected by its loud, far-carrying song.
Mourning Wheatear
Oenanthe lugens
Rather large and powerful-looking for a wheatear. Sexes similar. Differs from Pied and Eastern Black-eared Wheatears by stronger bill, short wings, prominent white tail flash (visible only in flight), and and evenly broad black terminal tail band. Undertail coverts always buff or rusty. Feeds on arthropods on rocky slopes and in desert wadis; in winter descends to plains and valleys. Male sings a soft, flutey, and musical verse from a prominent rock or in flight.
Golden White-eye
Cleptornis marchei
A beautiful, unique, entirely yellowish white-eye. Bright golden yellow on the head with a paler eye-ring, yellowish-green wings, and a darker orange-yellow coloring below. Bill and legs pale yellow-orange. Found in understory of wooded and semi-open habitats. Song is a rambling warble that sounds like “can you see me? I can see you.” Call is a raspy “tchup.”
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