Alternative names: Andean Boulder-finch, Short-tailed Diuca Finch
- Idiopsar brachyurus
Identification
18 - 18.5 cm. A large finch with a very long, stout-based, spike-like bill. Tail can appear short related to big body.
- Grey head with fine whitish streaking below eye
- Plain lead-grey upperparts
- Greyish wing and tail, white outer edge of outer rectrix
- Paler grey underparts, especially on throat and central breast, darker sides, whitish belly and vent
- Grey undertail-coverts
Females similar but with browner tone. Juveniles similar to females but even browner, streaked below and grizzled grey on face.
Similar species
Larger than Plumbeous Sierra Finch and with proportionately larger body and shorter tail. Also note different bill.
Distribution
Andes of extreme southern Peru to northern Bolivia and northwest Argentina.
Rare and local in most of its range, common at a few sites in Bolivia.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Found in boulderfields and high altitude grassland with larger rocks and boulders.
Occurs at 4000 to 4600 m, sometimes lower to 3500 m.
Behaviour
Diet
Reported to feed on seeds and lichen on rocks.
Forages mostly on ground singly or in pairs, also in small flocks of up to six birds. Often perches on a rock with bill held upwards.
Breeding
Poorly known. Males in breeding condition in January.
Movements
Presumably a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Short-tailed Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Short-tailed_Finch
