Plushcap

{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{speciesbox | image = Plush-capped Finch - Colombia S4E1689 (22623276893).jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Catamblyrhynchus diadema'' |volume=2018 |article-number=e.T22723021A132020713 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22723021A132020713.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Catamblyrhynchus | parent_authority = Lafresnaye, 1842 | species = diadema | authority = Lafresnaye, 1842 | synonyms =

| range_map = Catamblyrhynchus diadema map.svg

}} The '''plushcap''' ('''''Catamblyrhynchus diadema''''') is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae and it is the only member of the genus '''''Catamblyrhynchus'''''.

The plushcap is one of the most distinctive of all Neotropical passerines in both its appearance and behavior. The plushcap was in its own family until recently when it was grouped with the tanagers. The bill is broad and black. The body is a chestnut color with a bright golden-yellow forecrown. The forecrown is made up of stiff feathers. It has been speculated that these short, dense feathers are less susceptible to feather wear and more resistant to moisture than typical feathers. This may be an adaptation for its specialized feeding mode, in which it probes into dense whorls of bamboo for its prey items.<ref name="Hilty et al. 1979">{{Cite journal | last1=Hilty | first1=S.L. | last2=Parker III | first2=T.A. | last3=Silliman | first3=J. | year=1979 | title=Observations on plush-capped finches in the Andes with a description of the juvenal and immature plumages | journal=Wilson Bulletin | volume=91 | issue=1 | pages=145–148 | url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v091n01/p0145-p0148.pdf}}</ref> They are found at high elevations from northern Venezuela south to Argentina, including the coastal mountains of Venezuela and the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and extreme northwestern Argentina. They live in montane forests and secondary forests near bamboo. They forage for insects inside the bamboo. They will eat small insects, berries, and small plant matter.

The bird is very distinct and is not confused with many other birds. It stands out from the other tanagers, only possibly being confused with the golden-crowned tanager despite the golden-crowned tanager being blue. Its natural habitat is humid montane forests and it is always found in close association with ''Chusquea'' bamboo. It is typically found at elevations between {{convert|1,800|and(-)|3,500|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

[[File:Plushcap Front View.jpg|thumb|Front view of the plushcap taken in Bellavista]]

==Taxonomy== The plushcap was formally described in 1842 by the French ornithologist Frédéric de Lafresnaye from a specimen collected in Colombia. Lafresnaye introduced a new genus ''Catamblyrhynchus'' and coined the binomial name ''Catamblyrhynchus diadema''.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=de Lafresnaye | first=Frédéric | author-link=Frédéric de Lafresnaye | year=1842 | title=Description de quelques oiseaux nouveaux de Colombie | journal=Revue Zoologique | volume=5 | pages=301–302 [301] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14714832 }}</ref> The genus name combines the Ancient Greek ''katambluoō'' meaning "to blunt" and ''rhunkhos'' meaning "bill". The specific epithet is from the Latin ''diadema'' which in turn comes from the Ancient Greek ''diadēma'' meaning "royal head-dress".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages=94, 134 }}</ref> The type locality is Bogotá in Colombia.<ref name=paynter>{{ cite book | editor-last=Paynter | editor-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1970 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=13 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=215 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14483450 }}</ref> The plushcap was at one time placed in the family Emberizidae<ref name=paynter/> but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that it belongs in the tanager family Thraupidae.<ref>{{cite journal| last1=Burns | first1=K.J. | last2=Shultz | first2=A.J. | last3=Title | first3=P.O. | last4=Mason | first4=N.A. | last5=Barker | first5=F.K. | last6=Klicka | first6=J. | last7=Lanyon | first7=S.M. | last8=Lovette | first8=I.J. | year= 2014 | title=Phylogenetics and diversification of tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), the largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution| volume=75| pages=41–77 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2014.02.006 | pmid=24583021 | url=https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3613&context=biosci_pubs | url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Three subspecies are recognised:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=July 2020 | title=Tanagers and allies | work=IOC World Bird List Version 10.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/tanagers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=15 October 2020 }}</ref> * ''C. d. federalis'' Phelps & Phelps Jr, 1953 – north Venezuela * ''C. d. diadema'' Lafresnaye, 1842 – north Colombia and northwest Venezuela to south Ecuador * ''C. d. citrinifrons'' Berlepsch & Stolzmann, 1896 – Peru, Bolivia and northwest Argentina

==Description== The plushcap is about {{convert|14|cm|in|abbr=on|lk=on}} long and males weigh on average {{convert|14.9|g|oz|abbr=on|lk=on}} and females {{convert|13.4|g|oz|abbr=on|lk=off}}.<ref name="Neotropical Birds" /> It has a chestnut body and a golden-yellow forecrown (the plush part of the name). From its nape to its wings, it is black. The males and females look similar but the males are slightly larger than the females. Juveniles are just duller versions of their parents.

The subspecies ''C. d. citrinifrons'' is found in Peru and has a paler cap while ''C. d. federalis'' is found in coastal Venezuela and is brighter than ''C. d. diadema''.

[[File:Plushcap Close Up.jpg|thumb|Plushcap in photo grip taken at Bellavista]]

===Vocalizations=== While the plushcap is usually quiet, when it does vocalize it has a long series of chirps and twitters.

==Distribution and habitat== Plushcaps prefer to live in montane forest or secondary woodland by ''Chusquea'' bamboo which they use to find food. They stay at high elevation, between {{convert|2300|-|3500|m|ft|abbr=on|lk=on}}.<ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021" />

==Diet== The diet consists of small insects, berries, and plant material, and they typically forage in small groups within mixed species flocks of wide diversity. The plushcap looks for insects by probing and pushing its bill into the stems and leaf nodes of the bamboo and prying them open. They also forage by running their bill along the stems of bamboo with a series of tiny biting motions. Plushcaps will often hang upside down while searching for the insects.

==Conservation status== Plushcaps are considered of least concern due to their wide range in South America but it is thought that the number of individuals is declining. They tend to be common in their range.<ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021" />

==References== <references> <ref name="Neotropical Birds">{{Cite journal |url=https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/plushc1/overview |title=Plushcap (''Catamblyrhynchus diadema'') |last1=Salinas |first1=A. |last2=Burns |first2=K. J. |date=2010-09-22 |editor-last=Schulenberg |editor-first=T. S. |journal=Neotropical Birds |publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology |publication-place=Ithaca, New York |doi=10.2173/nb.plushc1.01 |s2cid=89917950 |access-date=2019-08-14|url-access=subscription }}</ref> </references>

==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{cite journal |last1=Krabbe |first1=N. |last2=Flórez |first2=P. |last3=Suárez |first3=G. |last4=Castaño |first4=J. |last5=Arango |first5=A. D. |last6=Duque |first6=A. |title=The birds of Páramo de Frontino, western Andes of Colombia |journal=Ornitología Colombiana |date=2006 |volume=4 |pages=39–50 |url=http://asociacioncolombianadeornitologia.org/wp-content/uploads/revista/oc4/Frontino.pdf | ref=none}} * {{cite journal |last1=Greeney |first1=H. F. |last2=Nunnery |first2=T. |title=Notes on the breeding of north-west Ecuadorian birds |journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club |year=2006 |volume=126 |issue=1 |pages=38–44 |url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40881746 | ref=none}} * {{Cite book |title=Birds of Ecuador |last1=Ridgley |first1=R. S. |last2=Greenfield |first2=P. J. |year=2001 |publication-place=New York |page=759 | ref=none}} * {{cite book|title=Birds of Northern South America |last1=Restall |first1=R. |last2=Rodner |first2=C. |last3=Lentino |first3=M. |year=2007 |publication-place=New Haven |page=674 | ref=none}} * {{cite book|title=Complete Birds of the World |last=Harris |first=T. |year= 2009 |publication-place=Washington, D.C. |pages=358–360 | ref=none}} * {{ITIS|id=559087 |taxon=Catamblyrhynchus diadema |access-date=2019-08-14}} {{refend}}

Category:Thraupidae Category:Birds of the Northern Andes Category:Birds described in 1842 Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Taxa named by Frédéric de Lafresnaye