Cinereous Finch

Grauämmerling painted by Jean -Gabriel Prêtre

The Grauämmerling ( Piezorhina cinerea) is a passerine bird in the family of tanagers ( Thraupidae ). This monotypic species is endemic to the South American country of Peru. The stock is classified by the IUCN as endangered not (Least Concern ).

Features

The Grauämmerling reaches a body length of about 16.5 inches. The top is medium gray, while the underside is pale gray. There is a black color at the base of thick yellow beak. The legs are bright yellow.

The young birds are gray-brown in color and in contrast to adult birds a pinkish beak.

Behavior

One sees the Grauämmerling alone or in pairs. Usually they are but traveling alone. Hold mainly on the ground and ground-level strata. If you sing or be disturbed they pull on branches in bushes back. Her singing is described as choppy series with short, strong and squeaky sounds. The vocals sound like a loud Teep or tea too and sometimes like a dry Tik- tik - tik.

Distribution and habitat

They occur at altitudes below 200 meters exclusively in the desert scrubland in northwestern Peru. The area is characterized by flat sand dunes with occasional bushes. The distribution area stretches from the south of Tumbes region to the region of La Libertad.

Brood

Their nests they build from the stems of a yellowish tobacco like weed. Cobwebs help these stems together and they moor on the branches. The cocoon and the yellow stalks are mounted on de outer shell of the nest. The same yellow dress fibers of the stems from the inner nest cup. The nests are from 9 to 9.5 inches wide at a height of 7 inches while the inside diameter measures approx 6.4 to 7 Zentimer at a depth of 3.5 to 4 centimeters.

Their nests found, inter alia, to in 2 to 4, 5 meters in Bichayos ( Capparis ovalifolia ) sapotes ( Capparis angulata ), Cordia rotundifolia and Faiques (Acacia macracantha ), in which they lay two to three eggs.

The Grauämmerlinge serve the Seidenkuhstärling ( Molothrus bonariensis ), a Brutparasitisen often. As a host for their eggs

Etymology and History of Research

Lafresnaye described the bird for the first time under the name Guiraca cinerea, but he suggested in his original description, that due to the form of the beak, a new genus Piezorhina (" bec comprimé " ) would be useful. Later on this genre of Grauämmerling was then slammed shut.

The word " Piezorhina " is from the Greek word " piezo πιεζω " for " ( together ) press " and the Latin word " rhis, rhinos " together for " nose, beak '. " Cinerea " comes from the Latin word " cinereus " and means " ash-gray ".