Atlapetes terborghi
The Vilcabamba Brushfinch (Atlapetes terborghi) is a strikingly patterned songbird, measuring approximately 16.5-17.5 cm in length. Its most distinctive features are its black head adorned with a broad, bright white supercilium extending to the nape and a prominent white malar stripe. The upperparts are a rich olive-green, contrasting sharply with its vibrant yellow underparts, which exhibit an olive wash on the flanks. It possesses dark irises, a black bill, and dark gray legs. This species ...
This brushfinch inhabits humid montane forest, cloud forest edges, dense undergrowth, and shrubby clearings, particularly near bamboo thickets. It typically occurs at elevations between 2,350 and 3,300 meters above sea level.
Its diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates, including beetles, caterpillars, and orthopterans, supplemented with small fruits.
The Vilcabamba Brushfinch is primarily active during daylight hours, often foraging in the dense undergrowth and low to mid-story vegetation. It employs a gleaning technique, hopping through foliage to snatch insects and other invertebrates from leaves and branches, and occasionally makes short s...
The Vilcabamba Brushfinch is an extreme endemic, restricted solely to the Vilcabamba mountain range in the Cusco Region of southeastern Peru. Its known distribution spans a very limited area within this range, primarily on the eastern slopes. It is found exclusively at high elevations, typically ...
Near Threatened
- The Vilcabamba Brushfinch was only discovered in 1993 and scientifically described in 1999, making it a relatively recent addition to ornithology. - It is named after John S. Terborgh, a renowned American ecologist and ornithologist who was part of the discovery expedition. - This species is a ...