Andean Siskin

Overview

The Andean siskin (Spinus spinescens) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is considered one of the smallest finch species, with a total length ranging from 9.5 to 11 cm.

Identification

• Small green-and-yellow finch, approximately 9.5–11 cm in length, with a bill length of 1.1 cm and a wing chord around 6.4 cm.
• Adult males have deep green upperparts with a distinctive black cap, while females are duller olive, lack the cap, and have white from the belly to the undertail-coverts.
• Wings and tail feature black and yellow coloration; the nigricauda subspecies is generally duller or darker green with all-black tails and no yellow tips on the coverts.
• Call is a typical goldfinch-like 'tswee', frequently given in flight, while the song is a lively, high-pitched rambling series of notes interspersed with rolling trills.

Habitat

Native to the Andes of northern Venezuela, the Serranía del Perijá, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and the eastern Andes of Colombia south to Ecuador, this species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, high-altitude shrubland, and grassland. It typically occupies elevations between 1,800 and 3,700 m, occasionally descending to 1,500 m, and prefers scrub or low bushes in open cloud or elfin forests, forest edges, and open hillsides.

Diet

The Andean siskin feeds on a variety of plant seeds, showing a particular fondness for Espeletia seeds and flowers. Although it often perches high in the tops of trees, it generally feeds on or near the ground.

Did you know?

According to some sources, the Andean siskin is the smallest species of finch on average, although others attribute this title to the lesser goldfinch.