Pileated Finch
Coryphospingus pileatus
Open Bird Bucket List ↗
Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Coryphospingus pileatus
- Spanish Name: Pinzón pileado
- Family: Thraupidae
- Known Nicknames: Pileated Finch, Red-capped Finch, Grey-pileated Finch, Granatillo gris
- Average Length: 12–14 cm / 4.7–5.5 in
- Average Weight: 15–22 g / 0.5–0.8 oz
- Wingspan: 18–22 cm / 7–8.7 in
- Key Feature: Male is mostly gray with a black crown and red center; the crest can be erected; female is brown above and paler below with faint breast streaks.
- Primary Diet: Primarily Granivore
- Range: Eastern Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and northern Argentina
- Habitat: Dry savanna, caatinga, cerrado, and open woodlands
- Social Structure: Solitary or in Pairs
- Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest in low shrub or tree fork
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
- Population Trend: Stable
The **Pileated Finch** (*Coryphospingus pileatus*) is a striking South American songbird, easily recognized by the male's vivid crimson crest—a sleek, upright crown of feathers that flares dramatically during displays. Its general appearance is compact and finch-like, with a stout, conical beak suited for seed-cracking, and a predominantly gray-brown body contrasted by a white throat and belly. A special feature is the bold, white eye-ring that frames its dark eye, giving it an alert, curious expression. Females are more subdued, lacking the red crest and showing a softer brown plumage with subtle streaking. This adaptable bird thrives in dry scrublands and forest edges from Brazil to Argentina, often seen in small, lively flocks, its sharp, metallic chip notes punctuating the air.
Fun Facts
The male Pileated Finch performs a bizarre, high-speed “helicopter” display, hovering in place with rapid wingbeats while fanning its tail and flashing its crimson crown patch to attract females. Its stout, conical beak is specially adapted for cracking open hard seeds, but it will also perform acrobatic maneuvers to snatch insects mid-air. Despite its fiery red head, this bird is surprisingly shy, often freezing motionless in dense brush for minutes to avoid detection.
Habitats & Distribution
The Pileated Finch occupies a range extending from northeastern Brazil southward through central and eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and into northern Argentina. Its habitat consists primarily of dry to semi-humid open woodlands, including caatinga, cerrado, and chaco vegetation, as well as forest edges, secondary growth, and scrubby savannas. It is also frequently found in agricultural areas with scattered trees and along gallery forests within drier regions, typically avoiding dense, humid rainforest interiors. The species is generally resident throughout its distribution, which spans the southern Amazon basin and the interior of the South American continent.
Behaviours & Reproduction
The Pileated Finch is generally observed alone or in pairs, especially during the breeding season, suggesting a socially monogamous structure with strong pair bonds. Its courtship involves the male performing a display flight, often singing from a prominent perch to attract a female. The species builds a small, cup-shaped nest typically placed in a shrub or low tree, where the female lays a clutch of two to three eggs. Both parents share incubation duties for about 13 to 14 days, and they cooperatively feed the nestlings, which fledge after roughly two weeks. There are no known unique reproductive strategies beyond this biparental care, though the timing of breeding can be influenced by local rainfall patterns in its South American range.
Diet
The Pileated Finch (Coryphospingus pileatus) is primarily a granivore, with seeds forming the bulk of its diet, particularly those of grasses and small weeds found on the ground or in low vegetation. It also supplements its intake with a variety of small fruits and berries, especially during the non-breeding season when seeds may be less abundant. Interestingly, despite its finch classification, this species exhibits a notable shift in feeding behavior during the breeding season, actively seeking out small insects and arthropods like caterpillars, beetles, and spiders to provide a high-protein food source for its rapidly growing chicks. The bird typically forages in pairs or small family groups, often scratching through leaf litter on the forest floor or hopping along open, grassy edges, and it has been observed occasionally visiting garden bird feeders for millet and sunflower hearts.
Colors
The Pileated Finch has a slate-gray body with a white belly and undertail coverts, and a distinctive bright red crown patch on the male, bordered by black. The female lacks the red crown, being duller gray overall. It shows no camouflage adaptations, instead using its open, scrubby habitat for concealment.
Distribution Map
Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.
