Yellow-bellied Siskin
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-bellied Siskin, Carduelis xanthogastra, is a small passerine
bird
in the finch
family Fringillidae. It breeds from Costa Rica
south to southern Ecuador
, central Bolivia
and the highlands of northwestern Venezuela
.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin breeds in mountain oak
forests at altitudes between 800–3000 m. The nest is a shallow cup of rootlets, bark, and lichen
2.4–3.7 m high in the dense foliage of a small tree in a clearing. The two or three green-tinged white eggs are laid in April or May and incubated by the female. Although not migratory
, this species wanders within its range when not breeding.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a small bird, 10.5 cm in length and weighing 12 g. The male is entirely black except for a bright yellow belly, tail sides and wing patches. The female is dark olive green above, and has pale yellow underparts which become brighter on the belly. She has a blackish tail and wings and also has bright yellow primary wing patches and tail sides . Young birds resemble the female, but have dusky fringes to the upperpart feathers and smaller yellow wing and tail patches. The song of this bird is a pleasant chattering twitter, and the call is a sharp pyee.
The subspecies C. x. stejnegeri which occurs from extreme southeastern Peru
to central Bolivia is larger and longer-billed than nominate C. x. xanthogastra. Males have larger yellow wing patchesn and more extensive black on the flanks. Females of this subspecies are darker olive above than the northern birds.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is more of a woodland bird than the superficially similar Lesser Goldfinch
, Carduelis psaltria, and the latter species is paler, has a white wing patch, and more musical song.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin has been relentless persecuted for the cage-bird trade in some areas such as central Costa Rica
. Where it remains common, in remote or protected areas, flocks of up to 30 birds forage in the canopy for small insect
s and oak flowers, or descend to clearings for seeds. The males may sing socially.
The phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
family Fringillidae. It breeds from Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
south to southern Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, central Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and the highlands of northwestern Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin breeds in mountain oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
forests at altitudes between 800–3000 m. The nest is a shallow cup of rootlets, bark, and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
2.4–3.7 m high in the dense foliage of a small tree in a clearing. The two or three green-tinged white eggs are laid in April or May and incubated by the female. Although not migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, this species wanders within its range when not breeding.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a small bird, 10.5 cm in length and weighing 12 g. The male is entirely black except for a bright yellow belly, tail sides and wing patches. The female is dark olive green above, and has pale yellow underparts which become brighter on the belly. She has a blackish tail and wings and also has bright yellow primary wing patches and tail sides . Young birds resemble the female, but have dusky fringes to the upperpart feathers and smaller yellow wing and tail patches. The song of this bird is a pleasant chattering twitter, and the call is a sharp pyee.
The subspecies C. x. stejnegeri which occurs from extreme southeastern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
to central Bolivia is larger and longer-billed than nominate C. x. xanthogastra. Males have larger yellow wing patchesn and more extensive black on the flanks. Females of this subspecies are darker olive above than the northern birds.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is more of a woodland bird than the superficially similar Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
The Lesser Goldfinch or Dark-backed Goldfinch is a very small songbird of the Americas. Together with its relatives the American Goldfinch and Lawrence's Goldfinch, it forms the American goldfinches clade in the genus Carduelis sensu stricto.The American goldfinches can be distinguished by the...
, Carduelis psaltria, and the latter species is paler, has a white wing patch, and more musical song.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin has been relentless persecuted for the cage-bird trade in some areas such as central Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Where it remains common, in remote or protected areas, flocks of up to 30 birds forage in the canopy for small insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and oak flowers, or descend to clearings for seeds. The males may sing socially.
The phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.