Atlapetes tibialis
The Yellow-thighed Brushfinch (Atlapetes tibialis) is a strikingly distinct passerine bird endemic to the humid montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama, easily identified by its bright yellow thighs. Measuring approximately 17 cm (6.7 inches) in length and weighing around 30 grams (1.1 ounces), adults feature dark olive-green upperparts and a dark head with a dusky mask that frames piercing dark eyes. A contrasting blackish throat and upper breast transition sharply to a clean white ...
This brushfinch primarily inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and their edges, as well as adjacent secondary growth, typically at elevations between 1000 and 3000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arthropods like grasshoppers, caterpillars, and beetles, supplemented with small fruits and seeds, typically gleaned from dense foliage and low vegetation.
The Yellow-thighed Brushfinch is a diurnal species, frequently observed actively foraging in pairs or small family groups within the dense undergrowth and lower strata of the montane forest. Its foraging strategy involves meticulously gleaning insects, such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, and beet...
The Yellow-thighed Brushfinch is endemic to the highlands of Central America, predominantly inhabiting the Talamanca mountain range. Its distribution spans from central Costa Rica, extending southeastwards through the cordilleras into western Panama, specifically within the Chiriquà and Veraguas ...
Least Concern
- The 'tibialis' in its scientific name, Atlapetes tibialis, directly refers to its distinctive yellow thighs, a highly unique and striking feature among birds. - It is an altitudinal specialist, rarely found outside the specific montane cloud forests and humid slopes of the Talamanca mountain ra...