Moustached Flowerpiercer (Diglossa mystacalis) [XC871464]
by id from Corani pipeline road, Chapare, Cochabamba Department, Bolivia (song)
Moustached Flowerpiercer (Diglossa mystacalis) [XC672317]
by Niels Krabbe from Abra Acjanaco, Cusco, Peru (?)
Subspecies
Genus has sometimes been placed in Coerebidae or Parulidae or even, because of an apparent close relationship to Acanthidops, in Emberizidae. Molecular phylogenies indicate that it is most closely related to Xenodacnis and to Acanthidops, Haplospiza and Catamenia (the last three genera currently placed in Emberizidae), and that all clearly belong in present family. Members of this clade may also be closely related to the Oreomanes / Conirostrum clade. This species forms a superspecies with Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer (Diglossa gloriosissima) and Glossy Flowerpiercer (Diglossa lafresnayii), and all formerly considered conspecific. Molecular-genetic data indicate that Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer (Diglossa gloriosissima) and present species are more closely related to each other than either is to Glossy Flowerpiercer (Diglossa lafresnayii).
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
unicincta Hellmayr, 1905 - Northern Peru on eastern Andean slope from southern Amazonas and La Libertad south to Huánuco (western and north of R Huallaga), also locally on western slope of eastern cordillera in Marañón Valley.
pectoralis Cabanis, 1873 - Central Peru on eastern Andean slope from central Huánuco (east of R Huallaga) south to Pasco and Junín.
albilinea Chapman, 1919 - South-eastern Peru (Ayacucho, Cuzco and Puno).
mystacalis Lafresnaye, 1846 - Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba and western Santa Cruz).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet