Grassland Yellow Finch

Overview

The grassland yellow finch, or Sicalis luteola, is a small passerine bird that is a seedeater and member of the tanager family rather than a true finch. It is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Males display bright yellow underparts and rump with olive-yellow upperparts, featuring dark streaking on the crown and nape and yellow around the eye.
• Females possess dark-streaked pale brown upperparts and dull yellow underparts.
• The species measures approximately 12 cm in length and weighs around 13 g.
• The call is a sharp 'te-tsip', while the male's song, delivered from a perch or in flight, consists of chips, buzzes, and trills.

Habitat

Resident in tropical South America from Colombia to the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, with southern breeders migrating to Bolivia and southern Brazil during the austral winter. Isolated populations exist in Central America, Mexico, Trinidad, and Barbados. The bird inhabits fields and other open grassland areas.

Diet

Grassland yellow finches consume seeds and insects. They are typically observed foraging in pairs or small groups.

Did you know?

Although common names suggest otherwise, it is not a finch but a seedeater that was formerly grouped with buntings and American sparrows before being reclassified as a tanager. The species was discovered on Trinidad in 2004, likely colonising from nearby Venezuela.