Wedge-tailed Grass Finch (Emberizoides) [XC808049]
by Dante Buzzetti from Ubajay, Col\u00f3n Department, Entre Rios, Argentina (flight call)
Wedge-tailed Grass Finch (Emberizoides herbicola) [XC412186]
by Caio Brito from Bras\u00edlia, Altiplano leste, Distrito Federal, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
Molecular data indicate that genus is sister to Embernagra, and both appear to belong in tanager family (Thraupidae). Sometimes treated as conspecific with Lesser Grass-finch (Emberizoides ypiranganus). Until recently considered conspecific with Duida Grass-finch (Emberizoides duidae). Subspecies fall roughly into two groups, "sphenurus group" (sphenurus, hypochondriacus, lucaris and apurensis) north of R Amazon, and single-species "herbicola group" (nominate race) in south. The groups differ in plumage and voice, and in playback experiments nominate does not react to songs from apurensis, suggesting that more than one species may be involved. Geographical limits of some subspecies require confirmation. Subspecies lucaris may be similar enough to be subsumed into hypochondriacus. Further study is required.
Proposed subspecies floresae, described from Panama (Cerro Flores, in eastern Chiriquí), appears to be based on an immature specimen, and is treated as a synonym of hypochondriacus.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
lucaris Bangs, 1908 - South-western Costa Rica (Térraba region).
hypochondriacus Hellmayr, 1906 - Western and central Panama.
sphenurus (Vieillot, 1818) - Locally in Colombia, southern Ecuador and northern Peru, and in Venezuela (except western lowlands and Cerro Duida), the Guianas, and north-eastern Brazil (south to northern Maranhío).
apurensis Gilliard, 1940 - Lowland western Venezuela (Guárico, Portuguesa, Barinas and Apure).
herbicola (Vieillot, 1817) - Eastern Bolivia (Beni, La Paz, Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca), central, eastern and southern Brazil (Mato Grosso east to Pernambuco, south to Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay, northern Argentina (Formosa and Misiones south to Entre Ríos and northern Santa Fe) and northern Uruguay (Rivera).
floresae Griscom, 1924 - Mountains of western Panama (Cerro Flores in eastern Chiriquí).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet