Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch (Atlapetes nationi)

Identification & Behavior: ~18.5 cm (7.2 in). The Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch is overall gray with a variable amount of rusty on the belly, a blackish head, and a bold white malar stripe.  It forages in Andean scrub on or near the ground. It is similar to the closely related Bay-crowned Brush-Finch but their ranges do not overlap. Some populations show white speckling on the head.

Status: Endemic. The Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch is fairly common in montane scrub on the west slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2100-4000 m.

Name in Spanish: Matorralero de Vientre Rufo.

Sub-species: Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch (Atlapetes nationi nationi), (P. L. Sclater), 1881.  Andes of W Peru (Lima).
(A. n. brunneiceps), (Berlepsch and Stolzmann), 1906.  Andes of SW Peru (Ica and Ayacucho S to Arequipa).

Meaning of Name: Atlapetes: Gr. myth. Atlas, a Titan king who was changed into a mountain and petes= flier, to fly. nationi: In honor of Prof. William Nation (1826-1907) British botanist, collector in Peru 1849.

See more of the Family Passerellidae