Poospizopsis caesar
The Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch (Poospizopsis caesar) is a striking high-altitude specialist, endemic to the Peruvian Andes. This medium-sized finch, typically measuring 18-19 cm (7-7.5 inches) in length and weighing around 30-35 grams, boasts a rich, rufous-chestnut breast and belly, which serves as its most distinctive field mark. Its head is a contrasting slate-gray, adorned with black lores and a subtle white supraloral streak, while its back is a dark olive-gray. The stout, yellowis...
This species thrives in high-altitude montane scrub, elfin forest, and Polylepis woodlands, often inhabiting rocky slopes with dense low shrubs near the treeline, typically between 3,000 and 4,600 meters (9,800-15,100 feet) above sea level.
Their diet consists mainly of insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and ants, supplemented with various seeds and small berries or fruits, foraged primarily by gleaning from the ground and low shrubs.
The Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch is primarily diurnal, spending its days foraging actively on the ground, hopping among rocks and low vegetation, and occasionally gleaning insects from the foliage of shrubs. During the breeding season, usually from September to April, individuals are typicall...
The Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch is strictly endemic to the Andes mountains of Peru, where it maintains a relatively contiguous distribution across its preferred altitudinal band. Its range spans from southern Cajamarca south through the departments of La Libertad, Ancash, Lima, Huancavelica,...
Least Concern
- The Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch is an avian jewel found exclusively in the high-altitude Andes of Peru, making it a true Peruvian endemic. - It thrives in extreme environments, living at elevations where many other bird species struggle, often above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). - Its genus, ...