The white-rimmed brushfinch (Atlapetes leucopis) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
Taxonomy and systematics
The white-rimmed brushfinch was formally described in 1878 with the binomial Buarremon leucopis. In the early twentieth century genus Buarremon was merged into Atlapetes.
The white-rimmed brushfinch is monotypic. However, some authors have treated the choco brushfinch (A. crassus) as a subspecies of it.
Description
The white-rimmed brushfinch is about 18 cm (7.1 in) long. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a large dark rusty crown, hindcrown, and upper nape and a white ring around the eye that extends to the rear in a teardrop shape. The rest of their face is black. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are mostly blackish gray with a hint of olive on the rump and uppertail coverts. Their throat is dark gray, their underparts dark olive with obscure darker mottling on the breast, and slightly darker olive flanks and undertail coverts. They have a dark brown iris, a blackish bill, and dull pinkish to dusky gray legs and feet. Juveniles have an olive wash on their crown. Their underparts have significant dark barring on the throat and breast and ill-defined streaks on the belly.
Distribution and habitat
The white-rimmed brushfinch is found in Colombia in the Central Andes from Huila Department south and on the eastern side of the Eastern Andes from Caquetá Department south. Its range continues into Ecuador on the Andean western slope to Imbabura Province and on the eastern slope to Napo Province. There are also small populations further south in Azuay, Morona-Santiago, and Loja provinces. It inhabits dense undergrowth in the interior and edges of wet forest where it favors a mix of thickets and low woodland. In elevation it ranges between 2,100 and 3,000 m (6,900 and 9,800 ft) in Colombia and between 2,200 and 3,100 m (7,200 and 10,200 ft) in Ecuador.
