Cuzco brushfinch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cuzco brushfinch
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Atlapetes
Species:	canigenis

The Cuzco brushfinch (Atlapetes canigenis) is a small bird found in the Andes Mountains. It is also known as the grey brushfinch or sooty brushfinch. This bird belongs to the Passerellidae family, which includes many types of sparrows.

The Cuzco brushfinch lives only in a specific part of southeastern Peru. It prefers the wet, high-up montane forests, especially around the Cusco area. Sometimes, people thought it was a type of slaty brushfinch, but now we know it's its own unique species.

What Does It Look Like?

Brushfinches are usually medium-sized birds with long tails. They often have gray or olive-green bodies with a bright, different-colored top of the head.

The Cuzco brushfinch has two main colors. Its body is a uniform dusky (dark) gray. The top of its head, called the crown, is a reddish-brown color, known as rufous. This rufous color also goes down to the back of its neck, called the nape.

The middle of its belly and other parts underneath are a lighter gray. The sides of its body are a darker gray. A black stripe runs from in front of its eyes to the gray feathers around its ears, called auriculars. This stripe borders the rufous crown.

Its tail and wings are blackish. The main flight feathers on its wings, called primaries, have a slight grayish edge. The outermost parts of these feathers might have a faint yellowish-brown or tan color, known as fulvous or tawny.

It's interesting to note that the gray color on the bird's underside can vary a lot. Some birds are almost completely dark gray underneath. Others have a pale gray belly, sometimes even grayish-white.

Male and female Cuzco brushfinches look very much alike. The female is usually just a little bit smaller than the male.

How Big Are They?

Here are the average sizes for adult Cuzco brushfinches:

• Male:
  • Wing: about 7.6 centimeters (3 inches)
  • Tail: about 7.8 centimeters (3.1 inches)
  • Leg (tarsus): about 2.7 centimeters (1.1 inches)
  • Beak (culmen): about 1.55 centimeters (0.6 inches)
• Female:
  • Wing: about 7.2 centimeters (2.8 inches)
  • Tail: about 7.2 centimeters (2.8 inches)
  • Leg (tarsus): about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch)
  • Beak (culmen): about 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches)

Family Tree: Taxonomy

The Cuzco brushfinch belongs to a group of birds called Atlapetes. There are about 30 other species in this group. All these birds are part of the larger bird family called Emberizidae, which includes many types of sparrows and buntings. They are also part of the order Passeriformes, which are often called "songbirds."

The Cuzco brushfinch was first described in 1919 by a scientist named Chapman. He gave it the scientific name Atlapetes canigenis.

For a while, in 1938, scientists thought the Cuzco brushfinch was just a type of slaty brushfinch. But later research showed that Atlapetes canigenis is actually more closely related to other Atlapetes species found in southern Peru and Bolivia. These include the black-faced brush-finch, black-spectacled brush-finch, and Apurimac brush-finch. This means it's not as closely related to the slaty brushfinch as once thought.

Scientists continue to study how different bird species are related to each other.

Where Do They Live?

Distribution

The Cuzco brushfinch is found only in south-central Peru. It lives in the high mountain areas of the Andes. These birds are usually found at elevations between 2,300 and 3,600 meters (about 7,500 to 11,800 feet) above sea level. They are most often seen in the areas surrounding the city of Cusco.

Habitat

We don't have a lot of detailed information about the exact places the Cuzco brushfinch likes to live. However, we do know they prefer the humid (wet) temperate zones of the Andes. They thrive in the wet montane forests that grow on the mountain slopes.

How Do They Behave?

What Do They Sound Like?

The Cuzco brushfinch makes a complex series of high-pitched squeaks. People have described its song as a "shrill trill followed by a chatter and tew-tew-tew swee swee."

Males often sing a special "dawn song" at regular times, mainly or only at dawn. This song is different from their usual calls. They are also known to make loud, drawn-out notes.

What Do They Eat?

Scientists haven't fully documented what the Cuzco brushfinch eats. But it's likely they eat a mix of things found on the ground, like small bugs (terrestrial invertebrates), seeds, and small fruits or berries. They have been seen eating seeds from trees. Other similar birds often look for food in the lower parts of trees, known as the sub-canopy.

How Do They Reproduce?

Very little is known about the nests and eggs of the Cuzco brushfinch. It is thought that their nest is shaped like a cup. These birds are very active in breeding at high altitudes, between 2,300 and 3,600 meters (7,500 to 11,800 feet). This suggests they probably stay in their usual mountain habitat to raise their young.

See also

In Spanish: Atlapetes de Cuzco para niños