Diadema

Identificazione

The plushcap is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and males weigh on average 14.9 g (0.53 oz) and females 13.4 g (0.47 oz). It has a chestnut body and a golden-yellow forecrown (the plush part of the name). From its nape to its wings, it is black. The males and females look similar but the males are slightly larger than the females.<p>The subspecies C. d. citrinifrons is found in Peru and has a paler cap while C. d. federalis is found in coastal Venezuela and is brighter than C. d. diadema.<p>While the plushcap is usually quiet, when it does vocalize it has a long series of chirps and twitters.

Tassonomia

The plushcap was formally described in 1842 by the French ornithologist Frédéric de Lafresnaye from a specimen collected in Colombia. Lafresnaye introduced a new genus Catamblyrhynchus and coined the binomial name Catamblyrhynchus diadema. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek katambluoō meaning "to blunt" and rhunkhos meaning "bill". The specific epithet is from the Latin diadema which in turn comes from the Ancient Greek diadēma meaning "royal head-dress". The type locality is Bogotá in Colombia. The plushcap was at one time placed in the family Emberizidae but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that it belongs in the tanager family Thraupidae.<p>Three subspecies are recognised:

Nome scientifico

Catamblyrhynchus diadema

Autorità

Lafresnaye, 1842

Ordine

Passeriformi

Famiglia

Thraupidae

Genere

Catamblyrhynchus

Areale e habitat

Plushcaps prefer to live in montane forest or secondary woodland by Chusquea bamboo which they use to find food. They stay at high elevation, between 2,300–3,500 m (7,500–11,500 ft).

Migrazione

Resident species

Conservazione

Plushcaps are considered of least concern due to their wide range in South America but it is thought that the number of individuals is declining. They tend to be common in their range.

Tendenza della popolazione

declining