- Lophospingus pusillus
Identification
12.5-14cm
Male
- Long black crest (usually held erect)
- Black crown, nape, lores, eyes, cheeks and throat patch
- Rest of head white
- Dark grey upperparts
- Light grey underparts
- White belly and crissum
- White wing coverts
- Dusky grey tail with large white corners
- Flesh coloured lower mandible and legs.
Female
Grey tinged brownish, has a crest but lacks the black throat patch
Distribution
South-eastern Bolivia] to western Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Uncommon and local, abundant in some places.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Semi-open, arid, sandy areas and shrubby plains, high-altitude shrubland.
Usually below 1000m, up to 2000m in Bolivia.
Behaviour
Feeds on seeds and insects.
Forages in pairs or small flocks on the ground.
The nest is a cup-shaped structure made of vegetable fibres and lichens. It's often placed in a large cactus. Lays 3 eggs.
A sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781
- nfss.org
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Black-crested Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 8 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-crested_Finch
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
