Cochabamba Mountain-finch
Encyclopedia
The Cochabamba Mountain-finch (Compsospiza garleppi) is an endangered species
of bird
that is endemic to the Cochabamba Department
of central Bolivia
. Together with the closely related Tucuman Mountain-finch
, it was formerly placed in the genus
Poospiza
.
. It is mostly grey above, reddish below, with a narrow grey mask. Both sexes appear similar.
of Cochabamba, Bolivia, between 2,900 and 3,900 m.a.s.l. in semi-arid valleys containing Polylepis spp.
, Alnus spp. and other associated small trees and shrubs.
This habitat occurs as a transitional vegetative form in the ecotone
between three different Tropical Andean
biomes (or ecoregions): the semi-arid interandean valleys or "valles
", the lush cloud forests or "Yungas
" of the northeast facing front range and downslope of the central Andes, and the higher, cold puna
grasslands that replace the wetter paramo
of northwestern South America as the dominant alpine vegetation in the central Andes.
volunteer in Miska Mayu and elsewhere in the Wayapacha area. Potential sightings from areas of suitable habitat extreme northern Potosí cannot be ruled out.
Given the extremely limited range of this species, their numbers were likely never very high. But rapid habitat destruction, which is likely causing the current C. garleppi decline, has raised alarms of the risks of extinction of this species.
The main threat is destruction of Polylepis woodlands of Cochabamba (as elsewhere in the central Andes), primarily for cooking fuelwood. Several projects to provide efficient solar stoves, and other alternatives to fuel wood hold some promise.
. The two species may have been isolated by during glaciation periods by the major river valleys that cut across the front range of the Andes including the Rio Grande
, which forms the border between Cochabamba and Potosí, Pilcomayo
, and Rio Bermejo
.
In terms of plumage
, the Cochabamba Mountain-finch has almost the entire underparts reddish, whereas the Tucuman Mountain-finch only has a red throat and vent, while the remaining underparts are greyish. The two are extremely similar vocally (to the extend that their status as separate species' has been questioned), and they will respond to each other voice.
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
that is endemic to the Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
of central Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Together with the closely related Tucuman Mountain-finch
Tucumán Mountain-finch
The Tucumán Mountain-finch is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. It is endemic to shrubby woodland in the Andes of north-western Argentina, but it is possible its distribution extends marginally into adjacent Bolivia. Together with the closely related Cochabamba Mountain-finch, it was...
, it was formerly placed in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Poospiza
Poospiza
Poospiza is a genus of finch-like tanagers found in both the South American lowlands and the Andes mountains. Generally they are arboreal feeders in light woodland and scrub...
.
Description
The Cochabamba Mountain-finch is a small sparrow-like passerinePasserine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
. It is mostly grey above, reddish below, with a narrow grey mask. Both sexes appear similar.
Habitat
The Cochabamba Mountain-finch is found in the AndesAndes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of Cochabamba, Bolivia, between 2,900 and 3,900 m.a.s.l. in semi-arid valleys containing Polylepis spp.
Polylepis
Polylepis is a genus containing about twenty species of shrubs or trees native to the mid- and high-elevation regions of the tropical Andes. This group is unique in the rose family in that it is predominantly wind-pollinated. They are usually gnarled in shape, but in certain areas some trees are...
, Alnus spp. and other associated small trees and shrubs.
This habitat occurs as a transitional vegetative form in the ecotone
Ecotone
An ecotone is a transition area between two biomes but different patches of the landscape, such as forest and grassland. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local or regional...
between three different Tropical Andean
Tropical Andes
The Tropical Andes is a subregion of the Andes spanning all of the Andes except the southern mediterranean and temperate zones. The Tropical Andes is an biodiversity hotspot named the “global epicenter of biodiversity” according to the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund.The Tropical Andes area is...
biomes (or ecoregions): the semi-arid interandean valleys or "valles
Interandean Valles
Dry valleys in the central Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, known as "valles", are marked by a rain shadow effect of the surrounding mountains, and thus rainfall is limited, and mostly falls in a brief rainy season...
", the lush cloud forests or "Yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
" of the northeast facing front range and downslope of the central Andes, and the higher, cold puna
Puna
Puna may refer to:* Puna grassland, a type of grassland in the central part of the high Andes* Puna , the king of Hiti-marama or of Vavau in the Tuamotu legend of Rata* Puna , a type of wind in the Andes...
grasslands that replace the wetter paramo
Páramo
The term páramo can refer to a variety of ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as “all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline”. A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement - specifically located in “the northern Andes...
of northwestern South America as the dominant alpine vegetation in the central Andes.
Status
Current population data are lacking. Estimates range from 400-4,000, and are believed to be declining. Most searches have only turned up isolated breeding pairs, in even known localities in the past 10 years. As recently as 1997, numerous individuals were observed by a U.S. Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteer in Miska Mayu and elsewhere in the Wayapacha area. Potential sightings from areas of suitable habitat extreme northern Potosí cannot be ruled out.
Given the extremely limited range of this species, their numbers were likely never very high. But rapid habitat destruction, which is likely causing the current C. garleppi decline, has raised alarms of the risks of extinction of this species.
The main threat is destruction of Polylepis woodlands of Cochabamba (as elsewhere in the central Andes), primarily for cooking fuelwood. Several projects to provide efficient solar stoves, and other alternatives to fuel wood hold some promise.
Related species
The very similar and closely related Tucuman Mountain-finch of northwest Argentina is found in analogous habitat farther south in the Tucuman ecoregion of northwestern ArgentinaArgentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest is a region of Argentina composed by the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.-Geography:The region had 5 different biomes:* Sub-Andean humid Sierras of the east...
. The two species may have been isolated by during glaciation periods by the major river valleys that cut across the front range of the Andes including the Rio Grande
Río Grande (Bolivia)
The Río Grande in Bolivia rises on the southern slope of the Sierra de Cochabamba, east of the city of Cochabamba, at . At its source it is known as the Río Rocha and crosses the Cochabamba valley basin in a westerly direction...
, which forms the border between Cochabamba and Potosí, Pilcomayo
Pilcomayo
Pilcomayo may refer to:* Pilcomayo River*Pilcomayo Department, Argentina* Pilcomayo District, Peru...
, and Rio Bermejo
Bermejo River
The Bermejo River is a river in South America that flows from Bolivia to the Paraguay River in Argentina. The river is generally called Bermejo in spite of its different names along its way, but it also has its own Native American names; in Wichí it is called Teuco, and in Guaraní it is called Ypitá...
.
In terms of plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, the Cochabamba Mountain-finch has almost the entire underparts reddish, whereas the Tucuman Mountain-finch only has a red throat and vent, while the remaining underparts are greyish. The two are extremely similar vocally (to the extend that their status as separate species' has been questioned), and they will respond to each other voice.