Black-capped Hemispingus Kleinothraupis atropileus Scientific name definitions
Text last updated January 16, 2019
Sign in to see your badges
Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Catalan | tàngara de coroneta negra |
| Dutch | Zwartkruin-hemispingus |
| English | Black-capped Hemispingus |
| English (United States) | Black-capped Hemispingus |
| French | Tangara à calotte noire |
| French (France) | Tangara à calotte noire |
| German | Schwarzkappen-Finkentangare |
| Japanese | マミジロモリフウキンチョウ |
| Norwegian | kullkronetanagar |
| Polish | zieleńczyk białobrewy |
| Serbian | Crnokapi hemispingus |
| Slovak | stŕňa okrovohrdlé |
| Spanish | Hemispingo Capirotado |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | Hemispingo Coroninegro |
| Spanish (Peru) | Hemispingo de Gorro Negro |
| Spanish (Spain) | Hemispingo capirotado |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | Buscador Gorro Negro |
| Swedish | svartkronad hemispingus/vitbrynad tangara |
| Turkish | Kara Takkeli Hemispingus |
| Ukrainian | Зеленяр білобровий |
Kleinothraupis atropileus (de Lafresnaye, 1842)
Definitions
- KLEINOTHRAUPIS
- atropileus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Originally Appeared in
Introduction
Taxonomic note: Lump. This account is a combination of multiple species accounts originally published in HBW Alive. That content has been combined and labeled here at the subspecies level. Moving forward we will create a more unified account for this parent taxon. Please consider contributing your expertise to update this account.
Black-capped Hemispingus is a fairly common inhabitant of temperate and elfin forest. Though primarily found on the eastern Andean slope, their range also includes portions of the western slope. They seem particularly fond of Chusquea bamboo thickets, where they are most common. They frequently join mixed flocks, among which they are often encountered as pairs or small groups foraging in the understory. Active foragers, they glean for insects. Note this species’ bold eyebrow stripe that sharply contrasts the black head. Also note the yellow or tawny breast, yellow underparts, and green back and tail. Their song consists of a series of high chatters, whistles, and chips.
Field Identification
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
16 cm; 18–26 g. Bill moderately stout, but thinner than that of most other tanagers. Has crown and side of head sooty black, long, narrow buff-white supercilium from nostril to nape; upperparts, including tail-coverts, brownish-olive; lesser and median upperwing-coverts olive, greater coverts dusky, tinged olive; flight-feathers dusky, edged olive-yellow, tertials dusky, broadly edged olive-yellow; tail mostly dull greyish-olive; throat and foreneck rather bright ochre-yellow, this becoming duller on mid-breast, more olive-yellow on central lower underparts; sides, flanks and undertail-coverts mostly olive; iris reddish-brown; bill variable, all dusky or upper mandible dusky, lower mandible bluish-grey; legs horn-grey, tinged olive. Sexes similar. Immature resembles adult, but duller.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
15–16 cm. Bill moderately stout, but thinner than that of most other tanagers. Has crown, side of head and broad band down side of neck black, long white supercilium from base of bill to nape; entire upperparts, including upperwing-coverts, bright olive; flight-feathers dusky, edged olive, tertials olive, inner web dusky; tail olive-green; throat and chest rich ochre-yellow (some individuals slightly paler), flanks yellowish-olive, central lower underparts pale yellow; iris dark reddish-brown; upper mandible dusky, lower mandible often paler horn-grey; legs horn-grey, tinged olive. Differs from K. atropileus in slightly smaller size, blacker face, whitish (not buff-white) supercilium, and usually deeper, richer ochraceous-yellow (not olive-yellow) underparts. Sexes similar. Juvenile undescribed.Systematics History
Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
Closely related to K. auricularis and K. calophrys, and has been treated as conspecific with one or both of those; currently treated as separate species to emphasize plumage differences, pending additional study. Monotypic.Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Closely related to K. atropileus and K. calophrys, and has been treated as conspecific with one or both of those; replaces former on S side of R Marañón, and currently treated as separate species on grounds of some plumage differences and molecular analyses; however, vocal differences appear to be minor (1), and work needed to confirm or deny species rank in this case. Monotypic.Subspecies
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped) Kleinothraupis atropileus atropileus Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Kleinothraupis atropileus atropileus (de Lafresnaye, 1842)
Definitions
- KLEINOTHRAUPIS
- atropileus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed) Kleinothraupis atropileus auricularis Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Kleinothraupis atropileus auricularis (Cabanis, 1873)
Definitions
- KLEINOTHRAUPIS
- atropileus
- auriculare / auricularis
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Distribution
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
W Venezuela (Andes in S Táchira) and generally in Andes of Colombia and on both slopes in Ecuador S to extreme NW Peru (N Piura N of R Marañón).
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Peru on E slope of Andes (from Marañón Valley S to Cuzco).
Habitat
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
Humid and wet montane forest, especially (or mainly) where Chusquea bamboo and other dense vegetation dominant; also elfin forest near tree-line. Recorded at 1800–3600 m: mostly above c. 2400 m in Colombia; mostly at 2250–3200 m in Ecuador and adjacent N Peru.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Humid and wet forest and forest borders, especially where Chusquea bamboo and dense undergrowth present; at c. 2600–3700 m.Migration Overview
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
None reported.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Resident.Diet and Foraging
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
Small arthropods. Forages in pairs or in groups of 3–7, occasionally up to 12 individuals, and in single-species groups or, far more frequently, in mixed flocks with Basileuterus warblers and other small tanagers. May behave as leader in small mixed flocks. Group fast-moving, active and warbler-like; primarily gleans or picks small arthropods from foliage, bamboo stems and leaves, mainly from near ground to c. 6 m up. Not shy, but can be difficult to see well because of dense lower vegetation in which usually found.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Of 13 stomachs examined, one contained only vegetable matter, eleven only animal matter, and one both; contents included caterpillars and other insects, and seeds. Forages in pairs or in varying-sized groups, much as K. atropileus; often with mixed flocks containing other tanagers and, especially, Basileuterus warblers. Forages actively near ground, or in understorey. Often creeps and hops up bamboo stalks and branches, or jumps from one to the next, reaching and gleaning from beneath leaves or probing and pecking at bamboo internodes; less often, leans down to pick insect prey from upper surface of leaves.Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
Infrequently heard song a fast series of high sputtering and chipping notes, rather indistinctive and not so explosive as that of some congeners. Contact calls include “tsit” and other high-pitched notes and chatters.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Dawn song, from exposed perch at top of tree 5–10 m tall, a slow, even series of 3–5 single thin “chew” notes alternated with 6–9 high “zeet” notes, e.g. repetitive “chew zeet, chew zeet, chew zeet...”, reminiscent of hummingbird (Trochilidae) song; often continuously for 15–20 minutes. Perches upright, flicks tail continuously from side to side, looks back and forth, or flips around 180 degrees while singing.Breeding
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
No information.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
In Peru, cup-nest of leaves and stems; eggs pale rose with numerous reddish-grey spots and streaks, markings random or nearer large end. No other information.Conservation Status
Black-capped Hemispingus (Black-capped)
Not globally threatened. Locally common. In Colombia, commonest at higher elevations within its range. Extensive deforestation, especially at higher elevations, may be a local threat to this species.
Black-capped Hemispingus (White-browed)
Not globally threatened. Fairly common at higher elevations throughout range. Occurs in some protected areas, such as Manu National Park. Some portions of its range are subject to colonization pressure, which could place the species at risk locally in the future.
- Year-round
- Migration
- Breeding
- Non-Breeding
Map last updated 30 April 2024.
