Rufous-backed Inca-Finch (Incaspiza personata)

Identification & Behavior: ~17.5 cm (6.8 in). The Rufous-backed Inca-Finch has a rufous mantle. The rest of the back is gray. The underparts are brown with shades of gray on the throat and sides of the head. It has black around the base of the bill. The bill and legs are bright orange. It forages in Andean dry scrub. The Rufous-backed Inca-Finch is similar to the Great Inca-Finch but is distinguished by having rufous mostly restricted to the mantle and gray rest of the back and wings, also by more extensive black around the base of the bill. These two Inca-finches overlap only in southern Ancash. The Rufous-backed Inca-Finch is the only Inca-finch in most of its range.

Status: Endemic. The Rufous-backed Inca-Finch is uncommon in montane dry scrub on the west slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2300-4000 m.

Name in Spanish: Fringilo-Inca de Dorso Rufo.

Sub-species: Rufous-backed Inca-Finch (Incaspiza personata), (Salvin), 1895.

Meaning of Name: Incaspiza: After the Incas, the native peoples of Peru at the time of the Spanish conquista and Gr. spiza= finch. personata: L. persona= mask, personatus= masked.

See more of the Family Thraupidae