Plain-tailed warbling finch

The plain-tailed warbling finch (Microspingus alticola) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is endemic to Peru.

Plain-tailed warbling finch
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Thraupidae
Genus:	Microspingus
Species:	M. alticola
Binomial name
Microspingus alticola (Salvin, 1895)
Synonyms
Poospiza alticola

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Taxonomy

The plain-tailed warbling finch was described in 1895 by English ornithologist Osbert Salvin from a specimen collected by Oscar Theodor Baron near the town of Huamachuco in La Libertad, Peru. He originally described it in the genus Poospiza, but it was later moved to Microspingus. It is monotypic.

Description

The plain-tailed warbling finch is a small bird weighing 24-28g. It has a grey back, wings, and tail, a white breast and belly with tawny flanks and undertail covert, a rufous malar stripe, a white moustache and supercilium, variably yellow lores, and a black cheek and crown with a slaty cap.