Grey pileated finch

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Grey pileated finch (Coryphospingus pileatus) is a small bird in the tanager family. It is found in parts of northern South America and eastern Brazil, including Venezuela, Colombia, French Guiana, and Brazil. It lives in dry and moist forests, forest edges, scrub, and dense undergrowth up to about 1,000 meters above sea level.

The bird is about 13 cm long. Males have a white eye ring and a scarlet patch on the top of the head that can form a crest, with the rest of the crown being black. The back, wings, and tail are grey, and the belly is white to grey. Females look similar but lack the red and black patch on the head.

Grey pileated finches forage in small flocks, mostly on the ground or in low vegetation. Their diet is not well known. Breeding happens in the wet season, roughly between April and November in northern Venezuela, varying with the rains.

There are three subspecies: brevicaudus (northern Colombia and northern Venezuela), rostratus (upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia), and pileatus (central and eastern Brazil from Fortaleza to Rio de Janeiro, extending west to Mato Grosso).

This species has a very wide range and is fairly common. The population size is not known but is believed to be stable. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.