Santa Marta Brushfinch (Atlapetes melanocephalus): Photos, Range and Facts

Overview

The Santa Marta brushfinch (Atlapetes melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae, the New World sparrows. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to see it

Destination guides featuring this bird

Colombia Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta An isolated coastal massif with more than 20 endemic birds.

JJanuary: Best
FFebruary: Best
MMarch: Best
AApril: Poor or no data
MMay: Poor or no data
JJune: Good
JJuly: Good
AAugust: Good
SSeptember: Poor or no data
OOctober: Poor or no data
NNovember: Poor or no data
DDecember: Best

Range and habitat

Santa Marta Mountains (northeastern Colombia).

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Continents

South America

Countries

Colombia

Sources and further reading

Wikipedia: Santa Marta brushfinch
eBird: sightings, maps and photos
xeno-canto: sound recordings
Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
IUCN Red List (threat status)
AviList global checklist (taxonomy)

Last updated September 29, 2026.