Superciliaried Hemispingus (Thlypopsis superciliaris) [XC262668]
by Jonas Nilsson from Esmeraldas: Cayapachupa, Cordillera de Tois\u00e1n, Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Ecuador (begging call, song, begging calls, juveniles, adults)
Superciliaried Hemispingus (Thlypopsis superciliaris) [XC242711]
by Niels Krabbe from Loja: above Jimbura, Ecuador (call, duet, calls)
Subspecies
Genus has been thought to belong with New World warblers (Parulidae), but recent molecular-genetic data support placement in present family. The monophyly of genus questioned. It is supported by some molecular data, but other molecular data equivocal. Subspecies form three groups, "superciliaris group" (including chrysophrys, nigrifrons and maculifrons), with yellow underparts, "leucogastrus group" (including insignis), with white underparts, and single-species "urubambae group", with yellow underparts, and no intergrades between groups found. Alternatively, chrysophrys treated as separate, single-species group and urubambae as part of "superciliaris group". "Leap-frog" plumage pattern (yellow underparts in populations on each side of grey population), and supercilium yellow in far northern and white elsewhere, are curious morphological differences, suggesting that more than one species involved. A genetic analysis is needed.
The following 7 subspecies are recognised:
chrysophrys (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1875) - Andes of Trujillo, Mérida and northern Táchira, in western Venezuela.
superciliaris (Lafresnaye, 1840) - Eastern Andes of Colombia (western slope in Santander, eastern slope in Boyacá, and both slopes in Cundinamarca).
nigrifrons (Lawrence, 1875) - Central Andes in Colombia (from Antioquia southern on both slopes through Cauca and Nariño) and Ecuador (southern on western slope to Azuay and on eastern slope to Morona-Santiago).
maculifrons Zimmer, JT, 1947 - Western slope in southern Ecuador (El Oro) south to northern Peru (Cajamarca).
insignis Zimmer, JT, 1947 - Eastern slope of Andes in Peru (from Amazonas south to Junín).
leucogastra (Taczanowski, 1874) - Eastern slope of Andes in Junín (Peru).
urubambae Zimmer, JT, 1947 - Eastern slope of Andes in Peru (southern from Cuzco) south to central Bolivia (Cochabamba).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet