Bird Guide

Choco Brushfinch vs Pale-naped Brushfinch

Choco Brushfinch (Atlapetes crassus)

Choco Brushfinch

Atlapetes crassus

Small37 gForest

The Choco brushfinch is 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 29.5 to 40 g (1.0 to 1.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a tawny-golden crown and nape and a black face. Their back is dark olive to dark gray and their rump and uppertail coverts are olive. Their tail is dusky blackish and their wings dusky gray with dark olive feather edges. Their throat and underparts are bright yellow with an olive wash on the sides, flanks, vent, and undertail coverts. They have a deep reddish brown iris, a long, stout black bill, and grayish or dusky black legs and feet. Voice: The Choco brushfinch's song is a "lively phrase lasting some 2‒3 seconds that is repeated (with or without variations) every few seconds...transcribed as tzit-tzit-tzit-tju-tju-tju-tju-tjrrrr or seeuwee swee swit-swit-swit". Its call is a "high-pitched short staccato tsit". The species sings mostly at dawn and the early morning, typically from a high perch.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Choco Brushfinch
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pichincha: Tandayapa ridge 3 km SSW Tandayapa, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0
Pale-naped Brushfinch (Atlapetes pallidinucha)

Pale-naped Brushfinch

Atlapetes pallidinucha

Small35 gForest

The pale-naped brushfinch is about 18 cm (7.1 in) long and weighs about 21 to 40 g (0.74 to 1.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a wide pale cinnamon stripe from the forehead to the middle of the crown, a white rear crown and nape, and a black face. Their upperparts are dark slate gray and their wings and tail blackish. Their throat, breast, and belly are bright yellow. Their sides, flanks, and undertail coverts are washed with olivaceous to gray. Voice: The pale-naped brushfinch's dawn song, usually given in duet, is "a thin, high tsie...tsie weu, tsi...tsie weu tsie weu, ti...ti wee tsits we weee or tsie...tsie tsieu". The first tsi notes are alike or descending and the tsieu note rises sharply. Its territorial song is "wheet-tew-tew-tew". Its calls are "a high-pitched soft tip" and a repeated "nasal pffe".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Pale-naped Brushfinch
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call · Zamora-Chinchipe: páramo of Cordillera Las Lagunillas, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Choco Brushfinch and Pale-naped Brushfinch.