Cuzco Brushfinch Atlapetes canigenis

The Cuzco Brush-Finch is a range restricted endemic of Peru; it is common in its range so it is not of conservation concern but as with any species that is so limited in distribution, attention to population numbers bears watching. It occupies forest edge and scrub at elevations between 2500 and 3100 m. Perhaps disturbance of montane forests actually is beneficial for this species? The Cuzco Brush-Finch until very recently was classified as a subspecies of the Slaty Brush-Finch (Atlapetes schistaceus). However, the Cuzco Brush-Finch is extremely dark sooty gray all over with blackish sides to the face and a dark rusty crown stripe. Molecular data suggests that the Cuzco Brush-Finch is more closely related to the Black-faced (Atlapetes melanolaemus) and Apurimac (Atlapetes forbesi) brush-finches than it is to the Slaty Brush-Finch. When first separated it was known as the Sooty Brush-Finch for some time, but recently the more geographically relevant name Cuzco Brush-Finch has been used. In fact its range is almost entirely within the Department of Cuzco.