Peruvian Sierra Finch - BirdForum Opus

Male; Subspecies chloronotus
Photo by Stanley Jones.
Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán National Park, Yungay, Ancash, Peru, August 2017

Phrygilus punensis

Identification

15·5–16 cm (6-6¼ in)

• Grey hood, down to upper breast)
• Blackish lores
• Yellowish-olive upperparts and underparts
• Grey wings

Distribution

Female; Subspecies chloronotus
Photo by BirdsPeru.
Rio Blanco, Peru, August 2006

South America: found from South Peru to north west Bolivia.

Taxonomy

Has been considered conspecific with Black-hooded Sierra-Finch in the past.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized^[1]:

• P.p. chloronotus:

• Andes of southern Peru (Cajamarca to Ayacucho and northern Cuzco)

• P.p. punensis:

• Andes of southern Peru (Puno) to north-western Bolivia (La Paz)

Habitat

Polylepis forest. Shrubby and rocky upland slopes, observed at heights around 3,660 m. They may also be found at village edges and agricultural areas.

Behaviour

Diet

They forage on the ground for arthropods and seeds.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Nov 2017)
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Peruvian Sierra Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Peruvian_Sierra_Finch

External Links

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