Bay-chested Warbling Finch
Castanozoster thoracicus
Small finch with a conspicuous chestnut breast and flanks. Gray above with a white throat and belly and a white arc below the eye. Found at the edge of montane forests, in open woodlands, and clearings; often accompanies mixed-species flocks. Listen for its calm “tsip-cheep” song.
Identification
The bay-chested warbling finch (Castanozoster thoracicus) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Taxonomy
The bay-chested warbling finch was formally described in 1835 by the Finnish naturalist Alexander von Nordmann from a specimen collected in Brazil. He coined the binomial name Frigilla thoracica. This species was traditionally placed in the genus Poospiza. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that the genus was polyphyletic. In the subsequent reorganisation the bay-chested warbling finch was moved to its own newly erected genus Castanozoster. The name combines the Ancient Greek καστανό meaning "chestnut" with ζωστήρ meaning "belt". The bay-chested warbling finch is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Castanozoster thoracicus
- Authority
- (Nordmann, 1835)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Castanozoster
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Beautiful Woodpecker
Melanerpes pulcher
Medium-sized woodpecker endemic to northern Colombia. Strikingly patterned: black above and buffy below with bright red crown, yellow nape, black mask, barred flanks, and a white stripe down the back. Found in dry woodlands and edges, usually in pairs. Compare with Black-cheeked Woodpecker, which lacks a yellow nape and has white spots on the wings.
Turkestan Short-toed Lark
Alaudala heinei
A small pale lark with a short, finch-like bill. Usually seen foraging on the ground in open country with shrubs, grasses, and extensive bare soil, often in sandy areas. Stays low to the ground and runs quickly. The extremely variable song is made up of a long series of phrases containing a mix of many different types of notes, often including imitations of other bird species. Sings longer song phrases than Mediterranean Short-toed Lark, with longer pauses between them. Visually, can be difficult to separate from Greater Short-toed Lark; best features are the heavily streaked breast and flanks and the lack of a well-defined eyebrow. Also extremely similar to Mediterranean and Asian Short-toed Larks. Separation in overlap zones is difficult and poorly understood, and is complicated by both geographic and individual variation. Slightly smaller, darker brownish, and more streaked than Asian Short-toed Lark, with slightly less pointed wings and slightly less white on the outer tail feathers. Slightly less rufous overall than Mediterranean Short-toed Lark, with narrower streaks on the breast. Also similar to Sand Lark, but slightly larger and more streaked on the back, with a shorter and thicker bill.
Philippine Collared-Dove
Streptopelia dusumieri
Brownish dove with a short collar of large dark scales, a gray head, and a pinkish flush on the neck and breast. Native to the Philippines, where now declining and uncommon; fairly common in introduced range (Guam and Northern Mariana Islands). Favors open forest and edges in its native range; often in towns and cities where introduced. Gives a loud, somewhat melancholy “cOO-cuh-COO”.
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