The saffron siskin (''Spinus siemiradzkii'') is a species of

finch The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usua ...

in the family

Fringillidae The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usu ...

. It is found in

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s are subtropical or tropical dry

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s, subtropical or tropical dry

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It ...

, and

urban area An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, ...

s. It is threatened by

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

and the IUCN has assessed it as being a "least concern species".

Description

The saffron siskin grows to a length of about . Like other siskins, the colours of this bird are black, olive and yellow, with black wings with a prominent yellow band on the bases of the flight feathers and another on the wing coverts. The male differs from the male

hooded siskin The hooded siskin (''Spinus magellanicus'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family (Fringillidae), native to South America. It belongs to the putative clade of neotropical siskins in the genus '' Spinus sensu lato''. There are 11 subspe ...

(''Spinus magellanicus'') in having an unstreaked, golden-olive back and bright yellow underparts. The female differs from the female hooded siskin by being altogether yellower, with yellow underparts rather than grey.

Distribution and habitat

The saffron siskin is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

to southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It is an uncommon bird found near the edges of dry woodland and in adjoining scrubland at altitudes below about .

Ecology

The behaviour of the saffron siskin is similar to that of the hooded siskin but it usually occurs at lower elevations. It feeds mainly on plant material, such as seeds, leaves and buds, but also on insects, foraging among tall grasses and plants and on the ground. It breeds between January and May but little is known of its nesting habits.

Status

This bird is generally uncommon and seldom seen. The total population is estimated to be under 10,000 individuals and is probably in decline because of the conversion of forest for agricultural uses. Despite the bird occurring in the

Machalilla National Park Machalilla National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Machalilla) is a preserve in the Ecuadorian Manabí Province near Puerto López and the rural parish of Machalilla, a small fishing village in the vicinity of the park. Established in 1979, Machali ...

and five other protected areas in Ecuador, the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natur ...

assesses it as being a "least concern species". The high rate of

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then land conversion, converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban area, urban ...

in the country adds to the likeliness of the threat that it faces.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q27075873 saffron siskin Birds of Ecuador Birds of the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena saffron siskin saffron siskin Taxonomy articles created by Polbot