Sphenopsis frontalis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The oleaginous hemispingus (Sphenopsis frontalis) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It inhabits wet montane rainforests at elevations of 1,400–2,700 m (4,600–8,900 ft). It is 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs 14–20 g (0.5–0.7 oz) on average. It has dull yellow underparts and olive-green upperparts. It is classified as being of least concern by the IUCN.
The oleaginous hemispingus was formally described as Hylophilus frontalis by the Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi in 1844 based on specimens collected from the Peruvian Andes. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word frontalis, meaning "fronted". The common name means "having...appearance of oil", referring to its olive coloration.
The oleaginous hemispingus has five recognised subspecies. These subspecies are fairly well-differentiated morphologically and exhibit clinal variation in Venezuela as they get further from the Andes. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Henri Pittier National Park | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 3 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 4 | Chingaza National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Oleaginous Hemispingus sighting in Henri Pittier National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 286th most-seen of the 358 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Oleaginous Hemispingus in Henri Pittier National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Oleaginous Hemispingus sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Oleaginous Hemispingus sightings, Henri Pittier National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Los Nevados National Natural Park (Colombia, under 5%).
Same family: Thraupidae
The closest relatives of the Oleaginous Hemispingus that you can see in Henri Pittier National Park (family Thraupidae, Tanagers and Allies) are Blue-gray Tanager (about 70%), Bay-headed Tanager (about 50%) and Palm Tanager (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Oleaginous Hemispingus is recorded against all the birds logged in Henri Pittier National Park (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
