Original description: Buarremon virenticeps Bonaparte 1855
Taxonomic history in AOU/AOS Check-list
AOU 6 (1983): Green-striped Brush-Finch, Atlapetes virenticeps
AOU 7 (1998): Green-striped Brush-Finch, Buarremon virenticeps
IUCN Conservation Status: Of least concern
Behavior: This is a shy, ground-hugging bird of dark, dense mountain undergrowth. In keeping with its habitat choices and very short, rounded wing, this sparrow spends very little time in the air, and is virtually never seen in truly sustained flight.
Voice: The vocalizations of this species are similar to those of the Chestnut-capped Brush Finch. The most frequent call is a high-pitched, insect-like seeei, the song a long series of similar notes in a “slightly jerky, irregular rhythm.”
Detailed description and measurements drawn from standard reference works
Adult: Tail feathers dark gray with dull greenish gloss. Upper tail coverts, rump, back, and scapulars unstreaked olive-green. Primaries dark gray with olive-green edges, secondaries dark gray on inner web, extensively edged olive-green on outer web. Tertials olive-green with dark shaft streak. Greater and median coverts olive-green. Marginal coverts of under wing yellow. Nape olive-green with variable black stripes continuing from crown.
Under tail coverts and vent dull greenish or yellowish. Flanks gray with faint greenish wash towards rear. Center of belly and breast variably light gray to whitish. Throat bright white, sometimes separated from bright white jaw stripe by extremely short lateral throat stripe.
Crown with yellowish or olive median stripe, broad blackish lateral stripes reaching variably onto nape. Short, narrow white median stripe on forehead. Ear coverts black, divided from lateral crown stripe by broad supercilium, yellowish behind eye, becoming small white spot above black lore.
Tarsus and toes dull pink. Rather long, thick-based, sharp-pointed bill blackish.
Juvenile: Tail feathers dark gray with dull greenish gloss. Upper tail coverts, rump, back, and scapulars olive-brown. Primaries dark gray with olive edges, secondaries dark gray on inner web, edged olive on outer web. Tertials olive with dark shaft streak. Greater and median coverts olive. Marginal coverts of under wing yellow. Nape dull olive with variable blackish streaking.
Under tail coverts and vent dull olive. Flanks grayish to olive-brown. Belly olive-brown with yellowish buff streaking. Breast olive-brown, throat olive-brown with white flecks and streaks.
Crown blackish with indistinct dull yellowish streaks. Ear coverts blackish brown.
Tarsus and toes dull pink. Rather long, thick-based, sharp-pointed bill yellow with darker tip.
Length 183-191 mm (7.2-7.5 inches)
Wing 76-84 mm (3.0-3.3 inches)
Tail 79-96 mm (3.1-3.8 inches)
W:T 0.93
Mass 35 g
