Peruvian Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus punensis)

Identification & Behavior: ~16 cm (6.2 in). The male Peruvian Sierra-Finch has a bluish-gray head, wings, and tail. The rest of the body is yellow-rufous with a tinge of olive on the back. The female is a dull version of the male. The juvenile is even duller than the female with a conspicuous dusky malar stripe and faint pale superciliary. It forages in sparse dry scrub on the ground in family groups, and often in mixed-species flocks. It is very similar to the Black-hooded Sierra-Finch but is distinguished by a bluish-gray hood in the male. The female of both species are very similar and need to be carefully identified.

Status: The Peruvian Sierra-Finch is common on montane scrub on the west slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2800-4700 m. It also occurs in Bo.

Name in Spanish: Fringilo Peruano.

Sub-species: Peruvian Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus punensis chloronotus), Berlepsch and Stolzmann, 1896.   N & C Peru (from Cajamarca S to Cuzco).
(Phrygilus punensis punensis), Ridgway, 1887.  S Peru (Puno) and NW Bolivia (La Paz).

Meaning of Name: Phrygilus: Gr. phrugilos= unidentified bird mentioned by
punensis: Puno Dept.in Peru.

See more of the Family Thraupidae