Bay-crowned Brushfinch Atlapetes seebohmi Scientific name definitions

The Bay-crowned Brush-Finch is a more olive-grey backed brush-finch but has the classic dark face sides and a bright chestnut crown stripe, although the forehead itself is black. Below it has a white throat with the typical brush-finch pattern of a white malar stripe, and dark lateral throat stripes; the breast and flanks are grayish while the rest of the underparts are whitish except for the pale buff vent. It likes undergrowth in low scrubby montane woodland, also shrubby hillsides that reach only to chest high, in rather dry regions between the elevations of 1150 – 2800m. Where it overlaps with the White-winged Brush-Finch, this is a noticeably larger species with a noticeably darker crown stripe and no white wing patch. It may in fact be closely related to the southern Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch although that species is much more subdued in coloration. The Bay-crowned Brush-Finch breeds in the rainy season and forages in dry leaf litter, scratching on the ground. Food includes seeds as well as insects.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

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.