Black-hooded Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus atriceps)

Identification & Behavior: ~16 cm (6.2 in). The male Black-hooded Sierra-Finch has a black hood and gray wings and tail. The rest of the body is orange-rufous. The female is a dull version of the male. The juvenile is even duller than the female with a finely streaked throat. It forages in sparse dry scrub on the ground in family groups and often in mixed-species flocks. It is very similar to the Peruvian Sierra-Finch but is distinguished by a black hood in the male. The female of both species are very similar and need to be carefully identified.

Status: The Black-hooded Sierra-Finch is common in a narrow elevational range of 3150-4150 m on the west slope of the Andes of central Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna. It also occurs in Bo and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Fringilo de Capucha Negra.

Sub-species: Black-hooded Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus atriceps), (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye), 1837.

Meaning of Name: Phrygilus: Gr. phrugilos= unidentified bird mentioned by Aristophanes, perhaps some sort of finch or sparrow. atriceps: L. ater= black and ceps, capped= head, headed.

See more of the Family Thraupidae