The Story
I photographed this Santa Marta Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanocephalus) in the Vista Nieve area above Minca, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia, at about 1,535 meters. It is found only in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, mostly between 1,500 and 3,200 meters. It has been seen foraging in pairs or small groups on or near the ground, eating insects, seeds and small fruits. Groups often lead mixed-species flocks through the forest. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I photographed it with a Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L, at 1/500 sec, f/6.7, ISO 3200, −0.5 EV. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated range, separate from the Andes, that rises to 5,700 meters just 42 kilometers from the Caribbean coast.
©2021 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Santa Marta Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanocephalus) belongs to the family Passerellidae (New World Sparrows) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List