Lophospingus pusillus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea

Familia: Thraupidae
Genus: Lophospingus
Species: Lophospingus pusillus
Name

Lophospingus pusillus (Burmeister, 1860)

Type locality: Tucumán, Argentina.

Synonyms

Gubernatrix pusilla (protonym)
Coryphospingus pusillus (Burmeister, 1860)
Schistospiza pusilla (Burmeister, 1860)

References

Burmeister, H. 1860. Systematisches Verzeichniss der in den La Plata Staaten beobachteten Vögelarten. Journal für Ornitologie 8 no.46: 241-268. DOI: 10.1007/bf02015644 Original description p.254 BHLReference page.

Vernacular names
English: Black-crested finch
español: Soldadito común

The black-crested finch (Lophospingus pusillus) is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is found in Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is a fairly common bird with a very wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it to be a "least-concern species".[1]
Description

The adult black-crested finch is about 14 cm (5.5 in) in length. It has a yellowish-pink beak and a distinctive spiky black crest.[2] The male has a black head and black throat, and a broad white superciliary stripe. The cheek area is also white. The upper parts of the body, the wings and tail are grey, apart from the white tips to the wing-coverts and the large white areas at the corners of the tail which are particularly obvious in flight. The underparts are largely pale grey. The female is a little more drab, the crest is retained but the head pattern is less distinct, and the back and wings are tinged with brown.[2]
Distribution and habitat

The black-crested finch is found in a large swathe of land in South America. Its range extends from southern Bolivia, through western Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is usually found in open woodland and chaco scrubland, at altitudes of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[2] It has been introduced into Uruguay.[1]
Ecology

The black-crested finch is generally seen in pairs or in small groups. It forages on the ground and in the undergrowth for seeds and small invertebrates. The nest is built by the male and is cup shaped. It is composed of lichens and vegetable fibres, bound together with spiders' webs and lined with animal hairs and fine rootlets.[3]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "Lophospingus pusillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22723137A94805258. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22723137A94805258.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
Ridgely, Robert S.; Tudor, Guy (2009). Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines. University of Texas Press. p. 663. ISBN 978-0-292-71748-0.
Jaramillo, A. (2011). "Black-crested Finch (Lophospingus pusillus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 8 September 2015.