Perija Brushfinch (Black-fronted Brushfinch)

Locally fairly common but range-restricted; the most readily found of the high-Perija endemics where suitable forest edge persists. Endemic to the Serrania del Perija (Venezuela and adjacent Colombia).

Medium brushfinch ~17 cm. Dark slate-gray above with dark wings and tail; bright yellow below. Diagnostic head pattern: rufous/reddish-orange crown and nape, black forehead and black face/lores, with a slightly paler cheek patch. The clean gray-above / yellow-below body with rufous crown and black face is unmistakable in range.

Humid montane forest borders, second growth, shrubby clearings and dense undergrowth; roughly 1,100-2,850 m on the Perija slopes.

Skulks in dense undergrowth and forest edge, usually in pairs or family groups; forages low, hopping through tangles and gleaning; responds to pishing and song playback by approaching edge cover.

Song, mainly at dawn, a series of high-pitched chips alternating with a lower-pitched slow mellow trill; repertoire also includes a slow whistled phrase, a cascading call, and accelerating trills. Search Xeno-canto / Macaulay Library under 'Atlapetes nigrifrons' or 'Perija Brushfinch' (some archives file it under 'Yellow-breasted Brushfinch (nigrifrons)' / Atlapetes latinuchus nigrifrons).

Best self-found by walking forest-edge trails at first light listening for the chip-and-trill dawn song; once located it responds to gentle pishing and brief playback and will perch up at the edge for scope views. Note the taxonomy: HBW/Clements lump it in Yellow-breasted Brushfinch, so check both names when logging the lifer for clients.