Buntings and New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Black-crested Finch (Lophospingus pusillus) - HBW 16, p. 615

French: Lophospingue à huppe noire German: Schwarzhauben-Zwergkardinal Spanish: Soldadito Común

Taxonomy: Gubernatrix pusilla Burmeister, 1860, Tucumán, Argentina.
Molecular data indicate that genus may be sister to White-banded Tanager (Neothraupis fasciata), and that these in turn are part of a clade which includes also Diuca diuca, Paroaria cardinals, Magpie Tanager (Cissopis leverianus) and Schistochlamys tanagers; this would suggest that all should be included in the tanager family (Thraupidae). Monotypic.

Distribution: S Bolivia (S Santa Cruz, E Chuquisaca and E Tarija) and W Paraguay S to C Argentina (Salta and Formosa S to E San Juan, N San Luis and W Córdoba).