Family Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Least Concern

Red-crested Finch (Coryphospingus cucullatus)

Taxonomy

French: Araguira rougeâtre German: Rothaubentangare Spanish: Soldadito crestirrojo

Other common names: Red Pileated-finch

Taxonomy:

Fringilla cucullata

Statius Müller

, 1776,

Cayenne, French Guiana

See C. pileatus. Race fargoi slightly more greyish in S of range than in N, and S population described as a separate race, araguira, but differences considered trivial. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution

C. c. cucullatus (Statius Müller, 1776) – Guyana and NE Brazil (E Pará); old records from Suriname#R.

C. c. fargoi Brodkorb, 1938 – S Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe, S Morona-Santiago#R), NW & SE Peru (upper Marañón Valley and Urubamba Valley), Bolivia (La Paz, S Beni, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija), W Paraguay and N Argentina (S to La Rioja, San Luis, La Pampa and N Buenos Aires).

C. c. rubescens (Swainson, 1825) – C & S Brazil (S from S Mato Grosso, S Goiás, W Minas Gerais and São Paulo), E Paraguay, NE Argentina E of R Paraná, and Uruguay.

Present also (race unclear), during austral winter, from N Bolivia E to EC Brazil (NW Minas Gerais).

Descriptive notes

13·5 cm; 11–18 g. A compact finch with relatively short tail, short crest tending to be held flattened, and longish bill with curved culmen. Male nominate race... read more

Voice

Somewhat repetitive song similar to that of some Poospiza, a series of two alternating... read more

Habitat

Dry shrubby areas, sometimes adjacent to riparian sites, taller tropical forest, grassland and even... read more

Food and feeding

No information on diet. Forages on ground, both in open dirt areas and beneath shrubs and other vegetation; may also forage in low shrubs.... read more

Breeding

Season mainly Nov–Feb. Nest cup-shaped, made of small twigs, fine vine stems and incorporating dry grasses, lichens, leaf veins and spider... read more

Movements

Mostly resident. During austral winter, some S birds apparently move N, extending somewhat N of... read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common to abundant in heart of range; uncommon in Ecuador, rare in Suriname. Historical records from French Guiana, but no recent... read more

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