Slaty Brushfinch
Atlapetes schistaceus
The slaty brushfinch is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 23 to 44 g (0.81 to 1.6 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies A. s. schistaceus have a rusty crown and nape and a mostly black face. They have a whitish spot on the lores and a long white "moustache" with a thin black stripe below it. Their upperparts are dark gray and their tail blackish. Their wings are mostly blackish with white bases on the primaries and white marginal coverts. The last shows as a white spot on the folded wing. Voice: The slaty brushfinch sings mostly at dawn, "a short tsuu, tweet-tweet". Pairs sing in duet, "poorly coordinated...high-pitched notes and trills that end with distinctive chewy-chewy-chewy or t'chew, t'chew, t'chew". When foraging it makes "thin tseet notes".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Yellow-breasted Brushfinch
Atlapetes latinuchus
The yellow-breasted brushfinch is about 17 cm (6.7 in) long and weighs about 16 to 31 g (0.56 to 1.1 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies A. l. latinuchus have a rufous to orange-rufous stripe from the forehead to the nape. Their face is black with a wide yellow lower cheek and a thin black line below it. Their upperparts are dark slate gray. Their wings are slightly blacker with white bases on the primaries. Their tail is blackish with olive feather edges. Voice: The yellow-breasted brushfinch's dawn song is a "relatively short and simple, sweet whistled phrase that is repeated with variations every few seconds". Excited pairs give a jumbled and slightly musical series of notes. The species' calls include "a very high-pitched...very short tink or tsik" and a "high-pitched, finely modulated buzzy" tsweet.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Slaty Brushfinch and Yellow-breasted Brushfinch.