Yellow-whiskered chlorospingus

Yellow-whiskered chlorospingus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Chlorospingus
Species:
C. parvirostris
Binomial name
Chlorospingus parvirostris
Chapman, 1901

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus (Chlorospingus parvirostris) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.[2][3] Some taxonomic systems call it the short-billed chlorospingus.[4][5][6]

Taxonomy and systematics

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus has a complicated taxonomic history. It was formally described in 1901 as a subspecies of the yellow-throated chlorospingus with the binomial C. flavigularis parvirostris.[7] It retained that position through the middle of the twentieth century before being recognized as a full species.[6]

Until the early twenty-first century genus Chlorospingus was treated as a member of the family Thraupidae, the "true" tanagers, though its placement within the family was uncertain.[8] Based on studies published in 2002, 2003, and 2007, beginning in 2010 taxonomic systems transferred Chlorospingus to its present sparrow family.[9][10] The Chlorospingus species were originally called "bush tanagers" or "bush-tanagers". Beginning in 2013 systems began changing the English name of the members of the genus to "chlorospingus" because they were no longer considered tanagers.[11][12]

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus has these three subspecies:[2]

Description

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs 17.5 to 28.5 g (0.62 to 1.0 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies C. p. parvirostris have an olive-green crown, face, nape, upperparts, and tail. Their flight feathers are dusky with olive edges. The center of their throat is pale gray and the sides bright yellow that flares back and up onto the neck, forming the eponymous "whiskers". Most of the rest of their underparts are gray with olive-yellow undertail coverts. Subspecies C. p. huallagae has slightly browner upperparts than the nominate. Their "whiskers" are mustard-yellow. The center of their throat and their breast and belly are smoky brownish gray. C. p. medianus is intermediate between the other two subspecies. All subspecies have a yellowish white to light gray iris, a dusky bill, and dark gray legs and feet. [13]

Distribution and habitat

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus has a disjunct distribution; each subspecies is separate from the others. The subspecies are found thus:[13]

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus inhabits humid to wet subtropical forest, especially in areas laden with moss and epiphytes.[13] At least in Ecuador it favors the forest's lower to middle zones and its edges.[14] It ranges in elevation between 1,300 and 2,400 m (4,300 and 7,900 ft) in Colombia, mostly between 1,200 and 2,250 m (3,900 and 7,400 ft) in Ecuador, and between 1,100 and 2,750 m (3,600 and 9,000 ft) in Peru.[16][14][15]

Behavior

Movement

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus is a year-round resident.[13]

Feeding

The yellow-whiskered chlorospingus feeds on berries, fruit, and arthropods. It forages in pairs or groups of up to about eight individuals and regularly joins mixed-species feeding flocks.[13][14]

Breeding

The breeding season of the yellow-whiskered chlorospingus is imperfectly known but appears to span from September to June. Its nest is a large shallow cup made from plant material. Nests have been found on mossy rock ledges above streams and in vegetation on cliff faces. The eggs are pale salmon to buff-white with red-brown and lavender markings. The clutch size, incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.[13]

Vocalization

The song of the yellow-whiskered chlorospingus has not been put into words. Its calls are describes as "a tsrreet note"[14] and "a modulated, high tsrrree".[15]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the yellow-whiskered chlorospingus as being of Least Concern. It has a large range; its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered common in Colombia and "locally fairly common" in Peru.[16][15] Though its overall range extends the length of Ecuador it is well known from only a few locations along it.[14] It is thought to occur in at least one national park in each country. "Within its range considerable intact forest exists, but [its] habitat [is] under assault in many areas from deforestation and human settlement."[13]

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Short-billed Chlorospingus Chlorospingus parvirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018 e.T22722187A132013789. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22722187A132013789.en. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (March 2025). "New World sparrows, bush tanagers". IOC World Bird List. v 15.1. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  3. ↑ AviList Core Team. 2025. AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025. https://doi.org/10.2173/avilist.v2025 retrieved June 11, 2025
  4. ↑ Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2025. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2025. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 3, 2025
  5. ↑ HBW and BirdLife International (2025). Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 10. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/about-our-science/taxonomy#birdlife-s-taxonomic-checklist retrieved October 12, 2025
  6. 1 2 Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 27 February 2026. A classification of the bird species of South America. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 28, 2026
  7. ↑ Chapman, Frank M. (1901). "Descriptions of six apparently new birds from Peru". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. XIV: 227. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  8. ↑ Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. p. 571.
  9. ↑ Remsen, J. V. (March 2010). "Proposal (426) Place Chlorospingus in the Emberizidae". South American Classification Committee. Retrieved April 20, 2026. The proposal was accepted in August 2010.
  10. ↑ R. Terry Chesser, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, and Kevin Winker. "Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk 2011, vol. 128:600–613 retrieved October 22, 2025
  11. ↑ Remsen, J. V. (May 2013). "Proposal (579) Change the English names of Chlorospingus species from 'Bush-Tanager' to 'Chlorospingus'". South American Classification Committee. Retrieved April 20, 2026. The proposal was accepted in July 2013.
  12. ↑ R. Terry Chesser, Richard C. Banks, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Adolfo G. Navarro-Sigüebzam, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, and Kevin Winker. "Fifty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds". The Auk 2014, vol. 131(4) retrieved April 8, 2023
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hilty, S. L. (2020). Short-billed Chlorospingus (Chlorospingus parvirostris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.shbbut1.01 retrieved April 21, 2026
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ridgely, Robert S.; Greenfield, Paul J. (2001). The Birds of Ecuador: Field Guide. Vol. II. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. p. 661. ISBN 978-0-8014-8721-7.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schulenberg, T.S.; Stotz, D.F.; Lane, D.F.; O'Neill, J.P.; Parker, T.A. III (2010). Birds of Peru. Princeton Field Guides (revised and updated ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 556. ISBN 978-0691130231.
  16. 1 2 McMullan, Miles; Donegan, Thomas M.; Quevedo, Alonso (2010). Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Bogotá: Fundación ProAves. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-9827615-0-2.
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