Sooty-capped Bush Tanager (Chlorospingus pileatus) [XC271168]
by Peter Boesman from Cerro Colorado, Panama (song)
Sooty-capped Bush Tanager (Chlorospingus pileatus) [XC274295]
by Peter Boesman from Mirador de Quetzales, km70 Cerro de la Muerte, San Jos\u00e9, Costa Rica (call)
Subspecies
Recent molecular-genetic studies indicate that this genus and Nesospingus, Spindalis and Phaenicophilus form a monophyletic clade that is sister to several New World warbler (Parulidae) genera (including Dendroica, Basileuterus and Vermivora), and are not closely related to other genera of present family. More recent evidence suggests that Chlorospingus is closest to genus Arremonops in family Emberizidae. The form "zeledoni", originally described as a separate species, now considered to be only a colour morph of present species and known only from Volcán Irazú and Volcán Turrialba, in Costa Rica. Birds from Cerro Flores, in eastern Chiriquí (Panama), supposedly with yellower underparts and whiter central abdomen, described as subspecies diversus, but appear inseparable from those in rest of species' range.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
pileatus Salvin, 1864 - Costa Rica, western Panama.
diversus Griscom, 1924 - Mountains of western Panama (eastern Chiriquí).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet