Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-eared Brushfinch
Atlapetes melanolaemus
Grey-eared Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanolaemus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-eared Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanolaemus) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 28.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Atlapetes
- Species melanolaemus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-eared Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanolaemus) is a species of bird in the Passerellidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Peru.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.9 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 62,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-eared Brushfinch?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is a small bird that weighs around 28.9 g.
Where does the Grey-eared Brushfinch live?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is found across South America with a range covering SA Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey-eared Brushfinch belong to?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanolaemus) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey-eared Brushfinch eat?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Grey-eared Brushfinch migrate?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-eared Brushfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Grey-eared Brushfinch make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-eared Brushfinch — 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 Grey-eared Brushfinch's range?
The Grey-eared Brushfinch has a mapped global range of about 62,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Passerellidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.