Family Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Least Concern

Black-crested Finch (Lophospingus pusillus)

Taxonomy

French: Lophospingue à huppe noire German: Schwarzhaubentangare Spanish: Soldadito común

Taxonomy:

Gubernatrix pusilla

Burmeister

, 1860,

Tucumán, Argentina

See L. griseocristatus. Monotypic.

Distribution:

S Bolivia (S Santa Cruz, E Chuquisaca and E Tarija) and W Paraguay S to C Argentina (Salta and Formosa S to E San Juan, N San Luis and W Córdoba).

Descriptive notes

14 cm; 14–20·5 g. A relatively slim-looking finch with long tail, bill triangular and robust for size of the bird, and head obviously crested. Male has striking, bold black-... read more

Voice

Flocks may give jumbled busy set of calls, reminiscent of a flock of Budgerigars (Melopsittacus... read more

Habitat

Open chaco woodland and forest edge, including grassy pastures and roadsides adjacent to... read more

Food and feeding

Little information. Feeds on seeds and arthropods. Forages on ground, often in pairs or small flocks.

Breeding

Nest built by male, a cup-shaped structure of vegetable fibres and lichens tangled with spider webs, and lined with rootlets, animal hair... read more

Movements

Sedentary.

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened. Generally uncommon and local; reasonably abundant in some places. No known threats.

Bibliography

Public comments

Scientific classification

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Thraupidae

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In past, included in a much broader Emberizidae. Probably sister to Cardinalidae, with these two perhaps sister to Mitrospingidae#R #R #R #R. Family limits and internal structure extensively revised in recent years on basis of numerous genetic studies#R #R #R #R #R #R. These have led to subdivision into 15 subfamilies, as well as numerous other notable changes (as compared to HBW) including: relocation herein of Parkerthraustes and Saltator from Cardinalidae, and of Charitospiza, Coryphaspiza, Embernagra, Emberizoides, Incaspiza, Porphyrospiza, Tiaris, Euneornis, Loxipasser, Loxigilla, Melanospiza, Certhidea, Platyspiza, Pinaroloxias, Geospiza, Volatinia, Coryphospingus, Rhodospingus, Sporophila, Piezorina, Xenospingus, Poospiza, Donacospiza, Sicalis, Phrygilus, Nesospiza, Rowettia, Melanodera, Haplospiza, Acanthidops, Idiopsar, Catamenia, Lophospingus, Diuca, Gubernatrix and Paroaria from Emberizidae (=Passerellidae); and also removal of Chlorophonia and Euphonia to Fringillidae, of Rhodinocichla to Rhodinocichlidae, of Chlorospingus to Passerellidae, of Phaenicophilus to Phaenicophilidae, of Spindalis to Spindalidae, of Nesospingus to Nesospingidae, of Calyptophilus to Calyptophilidae, of Lamprospiza, Mitrospingus and Orthogonys to Mitrospingidae, and of Habia, Chlorothraupis and Piranga to Cardinalidae. Generic limits within family also extensively revised, and associated sequence of species followed herein#R.

Subfamily: Thraupinae

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“Core tanagers”, with over 100 species, including a clade most members of which (Lophospingus, Diuca, Gubernatrix, Paroaria) were previously treated in Emberizidae and one species (Pseudosaltator rufiventris) previously treated in Cardinalidae#R.

Genus: Lophospingus Cabanis, 1878

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Distinctively crested; previously classified in Emberizidae, but forms a well-supported thraupid clade with Stephanophorus, Cissopis, Schistochlamys, Gubernatrix, Diuca, Neothraupis and Paroaria#R #R.

See full taxonomic structure and notes