Antioquia Brushfinch Atlapetes blancae Scientific name definitions

The Antioquia Brushfinch was formally described in 2007 based on three specimens collected by Lasallian Brothers as early as 1971 (1 Donegan, T. M. (2007). A new species of brush finch (Emberizidae: Atlapetes) from the northern Central Andes of Colombia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 127(4):255–268. Close , 2 Correa, R., S. Chaparro-Herrera, A. Lopera-Salazar, and J. L. Parra (2019). Redescubrimiento del Gorrión-Montés Paisa Atlapetes blancae. Continga 41: 101–108. Close ). The specimens were initially identified as juveniles of the Slaty Brushfinch (Atlapetes schistaceus), however, after deeper examination by T. Donegan, it was concluded that these three specimens represented a previously undescribed species (1 Donegan, T. M. (2007). A new species of brush finch (Emberizidae: Atlapetes) from the northern Central Andes of Colombia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 127(4):255–268. Close ). After the formal description, scientists set up several expeditions, starting in 2007, to the type locality of La Lana in the municipality of San Pedro de los Milagros, Antioquia, Colombia, to search for Antioquia Brushfinch, without success. In January 2018, it was finally rediscovered near the type locality (2 Correa, R., S. Chaparro-Herrera, A. Lopera-Salazar, and J. L. Parra (2019). Redescubrimiento del Gorrión-Montés Paisa Atlapetes blancae. Continga 41: 101–108. Close ), and local scientists started a project called “Proyecto Atlapetes” that focused on studying its ecology and the implementation of conservation actions. The Antioquia Brushfinch's natural habitat consists mainly of short shrubs and shorter canopy forest, although it frequently visits gardens in the backyards of suburban homes (2 Correa, R., S. Chaparro-Herrera, A. Lopera-Salazar, and J. L. Parra (2019). Redescubrimiento del Gorrión-Montés Paisa Atlapetes blancae. Continga 41: 101–108. Close , 3 Valencia-C, G., J. D. Sánchez-Londoño, A. I. Villamizar, and A. Ángel (2019). Una nueva localidad de Atlapetes blancae (Passerellidae, Passeriformes), con comentarios sobre su hábitat. Ornitología Colombiana 17: eNB07. Close ) and off-range paramo habitat (4 Chaparro-Herrera, S., M. Hernández Schmidt, and A. Lopera-Salazar (2021). Notas sobre la dieta y el hábitat del Gorrión-Montés Paisa Atlapetes blancae (Passerellidae). Actualidades Biológicas 43(115): 1‐14. Close ). It feeds mostly on the seeds and fruit of lower strata vegetation, but it has also been reported foraging for small invertebrates and nectar (4 Chaparro-Herrera, S., M. Hernández Schmidt, and A. Lopera-Salazar (2021). Notas sobre la dieta y el hábitat del Gorrión-Montés Paisa Atlapetes blancae (Passerellidae). Actualidades Biológicas 43(115): 1‐14. Close ). What is known of breeding phenology and nest architecture is based on a single reported nest that contained two white eggs with reddish-brown spots towards the base; the nest was a shallow cup made of thick plant material on the exterior and lined with several grass species (5 Chaparro-Herrera, S., and A. Lopera-Salazar (2019). Descripción del nido, huevos y comportamientos reproductivos del Gorrión-montés paisa (Atlapetes blancae). Ornitología Colombiana 17: eNB08. Close ). It is currently considered Critically Endangered. While its population status is currently unknown, populations are small and likely declining due to the transformation of natural habitat to cropland and cattle ranching. It is possible that only 50 individuals remain throughout its range (6 Renjifo, L. M., M. F. Gómez, J. Velásquez-Tibatá, A. M. Amaya-Villarreal, G. H. Kattan, J. D. Amaya-Espinel, and J. Burbano-Girón, Editors (2014). Libro Rojo de Aves de Colombia, Volume I: bosques húmedos de los Andes y la costa Pacífica. Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana & Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá D.C., Colombia. Close , 7 Anon. (2010). Globally threatened birds - family Emberizidae (buntings, American sparrows and allies). Species factsheets, BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK, URL: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html (download 28 July 2010). Close ).