Red-crested Finch

About the Red-crested Finch

The red pileated finch (Coryphospingus cucullatus), also known as the red-crested finch, is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers and allies. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and possibly Guyana and Suriname.

The red pileated finch was first described in 1776 by the German zoologist Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller with the binomial Fringilla cucullata. In 1851 Jean Cabanis erected the genus Coryphospingus for cuculatus and what is now the grey pileated finch (C. pileatus). The old and new genera were in the finch family Fringillidae but several early twentieth century studies showed that Coryphospingus belonged in its present tanager family. The two pileated "finches" form a superspecies and hybridize where their ranges overlap. The genera Coryphospingus, Lanio, Eucometis, and Tachyphonus are closely related.

The red pileated finch has these three subspecies: C. c. cucullatus (Müller, PLS, 1776) C. c. rubescens (Swainson, 1825) C. c. fargoi Brodkorb, 1938 The red pileated finch is about 13.5 cm (5.3 in) long and weighs 11 to 18 g (0.39 to 0.63 oz). It has a shortish... Wikipedia →