Pale-headed Brush-finch
Encyclopedia
The Pale-headed Brush Finch (Atlapetes pallidiceps) is a species of bird
in the Emberizidae
family. It is endemic to arid areas with low scrub at altitudes of 1650–1800 m (5400–5900 ft) in south-central Ecuador
.
It is threatened by habitat loss and the nest-parasitic Shiny Cowbird
. Most of its tiny known range, estimated at only 1 km² by BirdLife International
, is within the Yunguilla reserve, which, following the rediscovery of this species in 1998, was set up by the Jocotoco Foundation. Following intensive management, including the removal of cowbirds, the population of the Pale-headed Brush Finch is currently increasing. Further increase, however, may be limited by a lack of suitable habitat.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Emberizidae
Emberizidae
The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...
family. It is endemic to arid areas with low scrub at altitudes of 1650–1800 m (5400–5900 ft) in south-central Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
.
It is threatened by habitat loss and the nest-parasitic Shiny Cowbird
Shiny Cowbird
The Shiny Cowbird, Molothrus bonariensis, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in most of South America apart from the most dense jungles, mountains and deserts , the coldest southernmost regions , and on Trinidad and Tobago...
. Most of its tiny known range, estimated at only 1 km² by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
, is within the Yunguilla reserve, which, following the rediscovery of this species in 1998, was set up by the Jocotoco Foundation. Following intensive management, including the removal of cowbirds, the population of the Pale-headed Brush Finch is currently increasing. Further increase, however, may be limited by a lack of suitable habitat.