Poospiza goeringi
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus, *Poospiza goeringi*, is a small, striking tanager endemic to the high-elevation humid montane forests of the Venezuelan Andes. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm (5.5-5.9 inches) in length and weighing around 16-20 grams, this species is characterized by its uniform dark slaty-gray upperparts, contrasting crisp white underparts, and a prominent white supercilium that extends from the lore to behind the eye, making it highly identifiable in the field. Its flanks oft...
Found exclusively in humid montane cloud forests, forest borders, and dense secondary growth with bamboo thickets, typically at elevations between 2,200 and 3,300 meters (7,200-10,800 feet).
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small insects, larvae, and other invertebrates gleaned from foliage and branches, occasionally supplemented with small fruits.
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is primarily diurnal, actively foraging throughout the day. It frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly those led by tanagers and other small insectivores, moving through the mid to upper strata of the forest. Foraging involves gleaning insects and...
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is strictly endemic to the humid montane forests of the Cordillera de Mérida in western Venezuela, primarily within the states of Táchira, Mérida, and Trujillo. Its distribution is highly localized, confined to a narrow altitudinal band generally between 2,200 and 3,3...
Vulnerable
- The Slaty-backed Hemispingus was formerly classified in the genus *Hemispingus*, but genetic studies later moved it to *Poospiza*, highlighting the dynamic nature of avian taxonomy. - Despite its relatively plain appearance, its crisp white supercilium and contrasting slaty back make it a disti...