Family Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Least Concern

Pileated Finch (Coryphospingus pileatus)

Taxonomy

French: Araguira gris German: Silberhaubentangare Spanish: Soldadito capirotado

Other common names: Grey Pileated-finch

Taxonomy:

Fringilla pileata

Wied

, 1821,

Barra da Vareda, Rio Pardo, southern Bahia, Brazil

Sometimes considered conspecific with C. cucullatus; hybrids between the two reported in Brazil. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution

C. p. brevicaudus Cory, 1916 – N Colombia (Santa Marta Mts) and N Venezuela from Zulia E, including Margarita I, to Sucre and S to N Bolívar.

C. p. rostratus A. H. Miller, 1947 – upper Magdalena Valley, in Colombia.

C. p. pileatus (Wied, 1821) – C & E Brazil from C Mato Grosso E to S Maranhão and Ceará, S to Goiás, E Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

Descriptive notes

13·5 cm; 12–18 g (Venezuela). A compact finch with relatively short tail, short crest, and longish bill with curved culmen. Male nominate race has black crown... read more

Voice

Somewhat repetitive song similar to those of some Poospiza, a series of spaced notes,... read more

Habitat

Low arid woodlands, usually open woodlands, and dry scrub; also shrubby borders of moister forest,... read more

Food and feeding

No details of diet. Forages on ground, usually in dry areas adjacent to shrubbery; may forage also within shrubs and low vegetation. Forms... read more

Breeding

Breeds during wet season, Apr/May–Oct/Nov, in N Venezuela, precise timing dependent on onset of rainy season (also, years of high rainfall... read more

Movements

Resident.

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened. Common or fairly common throughout most of range. Has rather large range, and what appears to be a stable population.

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: Tachyphoninae

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New subfamily (“ornamented tanagers”) characterized by social ornaments such as crests, enlarged lower mandibles, brightly coloured carotenoid patches, white plumage patches and partially concealed crown patches; some taxa (Volatinia, Rhodospingus and Coryphospingus) previously treated in Emberizidae. Two subclades in subfamily, of which the smaller is basal and comprises Volatinia, Conothraupis and Creurgops#R.

Genus: Coryphospingus Cabanis, 1851

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Molecular evidence places this genus (previously in Emberizidae) in a clade with Rhodospingus, Lanio and Chrysocorypha#R, plus Maschalethraupis.

See full taxonomic structure and notes