Black-capped Warbling Finch Microspingus melanoleucus Scientific name definitions

With a range centered on the Chaco region of southern South America, where it is found from Bolivia to northern Argentina, the Black-capped Warbling Finch is a generally common and widespread member of the avifauna associated with low woodland and scrub in this region of the continent. In the past, the Black-capped Warbling Finch was frequently regarded as being conspecific with the Cinereous Warbling Finch (Microspingus cinereus), which is nowadays recognized as being a threatened endemic of central Brazil. The Black-capped Warbling Finch is generally unmistakable in its range, once the partially sympatric Ringed Warbling Finch (Microspingus torquatus), which has white in the wing and a white supercilium, is eliminated.

13 cm; 9–15 g. A small, compact and relatively short-tailed warbling finch with small, triangular bill. Male has black hood from forehead to nape, cleanly demarcated by white submoustachial and malar area; upperparts blue-grey; tail blackish, white outer feathers; upperwing blackish, blue-grey shoulder, blue-grey edging on upperwing-coverts and flight-feathers; throat and underparts gleaming white, except for pale grey flanks; iris reddish; bill black, sometimes grey base of lower mandible; legs black. Female has less extensive black cap and may appear duller in direct comparison with male; iris not so bright as male’s. Immature has black on head restricted to lores and side of face, at most.

SE Bolivia (Cochabamba and Santa Cruz S to E Chuquisaca and E Tarija), W & C Paraguay (except extreme E Alto Paraná), N & NC Argentina (Salta, Jujuy and Formosa S to San Luis, C Córdoba and extreme N Buenos Aires), W Uruguay and SE Brazil (extreme W Rio Grande do Sul).

Chaco woodlands, espinal (thorny woodlands), savanna and shrub-forest; prefers dense vegetation.

Sedentary.

Seeds, fruits and flowers; may also take arthropods, particularly during breeding season. Forages largely in shrubbery, scrub and small trees. Tends to be found in small flocks, possibly family groups.

Song a high-pitched and monotonously repeated three-part (sometimes four-part) “twasut tsee twaas”. Calls include muffled “chuf-chuf-chuf”, singly or in series, when excited; also an ascending, metallic-sounding “pifzzztt”; when flock alarmed, birds excitedly give high-pitched calls and “chuf” calls, developing into a sputtering chatter.

Nests found during Oct–Feb In Argentina; nest-building in mid-Nov in Brazil. Nest a cup made from dry grass and vegetable fibres, sometimes lichen, lined with much finer material such as wool, placed low down, usually within 1 m of ground, in thick herbaceous vegetation or in low shrub or tree. Clutch 3–4 eggs, white or pale greenish with black scrawls and blotches, these particularly around wide end. Nests known to be parasitized by Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). No other information.

Not globally threatened. Relatively common, sometimes abundant; widespread. No known threats.

Alvaro began birding as an 11 year old in Canada, and eventually trained in Evolutionary Ecology studying, creatures as varied as leaf-cutter ants and Argentine cowbirds. But his career has been focused on birding tourism, both as a guide and owner of his tour company, as well as a avitourism consultant to various organizations. He is the author of Birds of Chile, New World Blackbirds: The Icterids, as well as the ABA Field Guide to the birds of California. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California where he is known for his pelagic birding trips. Email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com.