Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-masked Finch
Coryphaspiza melanotis
Black-masked Finch (Coryphaspiza melanotis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-masked Finch (Coryphaspiza melanotis) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Coryphaspiza
- Species melanotis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-masked Finch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-masked Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-masked Finch (Coryphaspiza melanotis) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA sc.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.9 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-masked Finch?
The Black-masked Finch is a small bird that weighs around 15.7 g.
Where does the Black-masked Finch live?
The Black-masked Finch is found across South America with a range covering SA sc, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-masked Finch belong to?
The Black-masked Finch (Coryphaspiza melanotis) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-masked Finch eat?
The Black-masked Finch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Black-masked Finch migrate?
The Black-masked Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-masked Finch endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Black-masked Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Black-masked Finch — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-masked Finch's range?
The Black-masked Finch has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.