From Opus

Alternative names: Northern Rufous-naped Brush-Finch; Rufous-naped Brush-Finch¹

Photo by petersheikhli
Location: Los Cedros Reserve, NW Ecuador

Atlapetes latinuchus

[edit] Identification

In the fully colored adult: slaty upperside except for rufous nape and crown, black side of head, rich yellow underside. Juvenile starts out much duller and completely lacking contrasting nape.
Variation: considerable if subtle, including possibility of white on wing, lore, or above the lore.

[edit] Distribution

Found in the Andes from far western Venezuela, through Colombia and Ecuador, to north-central Peru.

[edit] Taxonomy

Previously considered conspecific with the Rufous-naped Brush-Finch (A. rufinucha, sometimes "Bolivian Brush-Finch") under the name Rufous-naped Brush-Finch (Atlapetes rufinucha). Confusingly, following the split, both A. rufinucha and A. latinuchus are sometimes still referred to as "Rufous-naped Brush-Finch".

Ten subspecies are recognized^[2]:

• A.l. phelpsi
• A.l. elaeoprorus
• A.l. simplex
• A.l. caucae
• A.l. spodionotus
• A.l. comptus
• A.l. latinuchus
• A.l. chugurensis
• A.l. baroni
• A.l. yariguierum

[edit] Habitat

Mid elevation of the Andes in forested habitats including edges and second growth.

[edit] Behaviour

Mostly feed in understory but can also be seen on the ground.

[edit] References

1. Not to be confused with Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes rufinucha.
2. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.

[edit] External Links