The chestnut-breasted chlorophonia is a bird species in the family Fringillidae . It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid subtropical and tropical montane forests of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, especially on Andean slopes. It favors cloud forests, forest edges, and secondary growth with abundant fruiting trees. Birds are most often seen in the mid to upper canopy, where they forage quietly among dense foliage. It can persist in partially disturbed habitats if fruit resources remain, but is scarce in heavily deforested landscapes.
Altitude Range
1000–2600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This bright canopy finch of the Northern Andes is named for the male’s rich chestnut throat and breast, which contrasts with vivid green upperparts and a yellow belly. It often follows fruiting trees and joins mixed-species flocks, but is otherwise rather unobtrusive in dense montane forest. Like other chlorophonias, it specializes on small berries, especially mistletoe, playing a role in seed dispersal. It is generally non-migratory and locally common where suitable forest persists.
Temperament
shy and canopy-dwelling
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief undulations
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and frequently associates with mixed-species flocks while foraging. Nests are small, well-concealed globular to cup-like structures placed in dense vegetation in the subcanopy. Both parents are believed to participate in feeding the young. Territorial behavior is modest, centered around nest and key fruiting trees.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a series of thin, sweet, high-pitched whistles and tinkling notes, often delivered from concealed perches. Calls include soft chips and sibilant seee notes exchanged between mates in the canopy.
Plumage
Compact, smooth-plumaged canopy finch with glossy green upperparts and a striking warm chestnut throat to upper breast in males; underparts below the chestnut are bright yellow. Females are duller green above with more subdued yellow below and greatly reduced or absent chestnut on the breast.
Diet
Primarily small fruits and berries, notably mistletoe and other hemiparasitic plants, as well as berries of melastomes and other shrubs. It occasionally supplements its diet with small arthropods, especially when feeding nestlings. By swallowing fruits whole and passing seeds, it acts as an important seed disperser in montane forests.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the mid to upper canopy of humid montane forest, at edges, along forested ravines, and in secondary growth with fruiting trees. Frequently visits isolated fruiting trees and may descend briefly to lower strata when resource-rich shrubs are available.
