Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch (Sicalis uropygialis)

Identification & Behavior: ~14 cm (5.5 in). The Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch has gray upperparts and a yellow head with gray ear patches. The underparts can be mostly yellow or yellow bordered by gray on the sides of the underparts.  Sexes are alike but the female has browner and mottled upperparts. The juvenile is gray yellowish with dusky streaks on the underparts. It forages on the ground in family groups often with other finches and sierra-finches. It is similar to the Raimondi’s  Yellow-Finch but is brighter yellow, ranges at higher elevations, and does not form large flocks. The Grassland Yellow-Finch is smaller without the contrasting gray and yellow plumage.  

Status: The Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch is common on the west slope and southern altiplano of the Andes at elevations ranging between 3200-4700 m. It also occurs in Bo and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Chirigüe de Lomo Brillante.

Sub-species: Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch. (Sicalis uropygialis sharpei), (Berlepsch and Stolzmann), 1894.  W & C Peru from Cajamarca S to Junín.
(Sicalis uropygialis connectens), (Chapman), 1919.
(Sicalis uropygialis uropygialis), (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye), 1837.  SE Peru (Puno) and highlands of Bolivia S to N Chile (Arica–Parinacota, Tarapacá and Antofagasta) and NW Argentina (Salta, Jujuy and Tucumán).

Meaning of Name: Sicalis: Gr. sikalis, sukallis, sukalidos= a small, black-headed bird, mentioned by Epicharmus. uropygialis: L. uropygium= rump.

See more of the Family Thraupidae