Rhopospina carbonaria
The Carbonated Sierra Finch (Rhopospina carbonaria) is a striking high-Andean songbird, renowned for the male's unique, sooty-grey to charcoal-black plumage, often exhibiting a subtle, iridescent violet or deep blue sheen, especially on the head and mantle, which gives rise to its evocative name. Measuring approximately 15 cm in length with a wingspan of about 25 cm and weighing around 25 grams, its most distinctive field mark is the male's contrasting bright orange-yellow bill against its da...
Found in high-altitude puna grasslands, rocky slopes, and arid scrublands of the Andes, typically between 2,800 and 4,500 meters (9,000-14,800 feet) elevation.
Primarily granivorous, consuming a wide variety of small seeds from high-altitude grasses and forbs, supplemented with small insects and their larvae, especially during the breeding season. Forages by gleaning from the ground.
This diurnal species is most active during the early morning and late afternoon, primarily foraging on the ground. Outside the breeding season, Carbonated Sierra Finches roost communally in dense scrub or sheltered rock crevices, especially during colder periods. They are meticulous ground-gleane...
The Carbonated Sierra Finch is an endemic resident of the high central and southern Andes of South America. Its primary breeding range extends from central Peru, through Bolivia, into northern Chile and northwestern Argentina, predominantly within the Puna and Altiplano biogeographic zones. Durin...
Near Threatened
- The species' scientific epithet, *carbonaria*, directly translates to 'coal-black,' reflecting the male's striking plumage. - The brilliant orange-yellow bill of the male serves as a crucial visual signal for mate selection and territorial dominance. - Under direct sunlight, males often reveal ...