About Coryphospingus pileatus (Wied-Neuwied, 1821)
This species, commonly called the grey pileated finch, reaches an approximate length of 13 cm (5.1 in). Males have a white eye ring and a small scarlet patch on the top of the head, which can be raised as a crest. This scarlet patch is partially concealed by black plumage covering the rest of the crown. The bird’s upper body, wings, and tail are grey, while its underparts are whitish, turning to grey on the flanks and breast. Females have similar overall colouring, but do not have the red and black markings on the head.
Grey pileated finch is native to South America. It occurs in northern Venezuela, as well as northern and eastern Colombia. A separate, isolated population lives in eastern Brazil, ranging from Fortaleza south to Rio de Janeiro, and west as far as southern Mato Grosso. This species inhabits deciduous woodland, moist woodland, forest borders, undergrowth, and dry scrub, and it occurs up to a maximum elevation of approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
The grey pileated finch forages in small flocks, mostly on the ground, and also in low undergrowth. Its diet has not been documented. Breeding occurs during the wet season. In northern Venezuela, breeding falls between April and November, with exact timing dependent on when the rainy season begins.
