Grey pileated finch

Appearance

The grey pileated finch grows to a length of around 13 cm. The male has a white eye ring and a small patch of scarlet on the top of the head which can be raised as a crest, and this is partially concealed by the black plumage on the rest of the crown. The upper parts of the body, wings and tail are grey while the underparts are whitish, grading to grey on the flanks and breast. The female has a similar colouring but lacks the red and black on the head.

Distribution

This species is native to South America, being found in northern Venezuela and northern and eastern Colombia, with a separate population in eastern Brazil extending from Fortaleza southward to Rio de Janeiro and as far west as the southern Mato Grosso. It is a bird of deciduous woodland, moist woodland, forest borders, undergrowth and dry scrub, and its maximum elevation is about 1,000 m.

Status

''C. pileatus'' has a very wide range and is considered to be fairly common. Although the population size has not been estimated, it seems to be steady, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's conservation status as being "least concern".

Habitat

This species is native to South America, being found in northern Venezuela and northern and eastern Colombia, with a separate population in eastern Brazil extending from Fortaleza southward to Rio de Janeiro and as far west as the southern Mato Grosso. It is a bird of deciduous woodland, moist woodland, forest borders, undergrowth and dry scrub, and its maximum elevation is about 1,000 m .The grey pileated finch forages in small flocks, mostly on the ground but also in low undergrowth. Its diet is unknown. Breeding takes place in the wet season, this being some time between April and November in northern Venezuaella, and the exact timing depends on the onset of the rains.