Yellow-faced Siskin
Spinus yarrellii
Small finch with bright yellow plumage; males have a black cap. Found at forest edges, in caatinga vegetation, in second growth, and even in coffee plantations. Rare; heavily exploited for the illegal cage bird trade. The song is a complex series of warbling notes. In the more common Hooded Siskin, males have a black head and females have less yellow below and are less uniform green on the head.
Identification
The Yellow-faced siskin is sexually dimorphic with the male having a black crown. Both sexes have a bright yellow body with an olive back and black and yellow wings; the legs are pink and the tail is black on top and white underneath. Like other birds in its genus, it has a cone-shaped bill adapted to hold and shell seeds. The amount of black on the males head can vary with the lores and ear coverts also being black on some birds. Its call is a complex and melodious warble much like the calls of other relatives like the Pine siskin and American goldfinch.
Taxonomy
The Yellow-faced siskin was described in 1839 by John James Audubon from an adult male specimen in poor condition that he received from another ornithologist. The type locality was incorrectly given as "Upper California" due to the skin originally being collected from a captive bird there. Audubon placed it in the genus Carduelis, it was later placed in the genus Spinus, which merged with Carduelis in 1976, before the genus Spinus was resurrected with the Yellow-faced siskin being placed in it. It's Phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al. There are no recognised subspecies.
- Scientific name
- Spinus yarrellii
- Authority
- (Audubon, 1839)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Spinus
Range and habitat
The Yellow-faced siskin has a spotty distribution throughout Southeastern Brazil in the states of Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, and Bahia. There is also a disjunct population in northern Venezuela, though many authorities consider these to be escaped cage birds; However, specimens of this population were collected there in 1914.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Robust, big-headed, and rather short-tailed parrot endemic to Papua and Cape York (Australia) and introduced to Solomon Islands, where it inhabits lowland and foothill forests. Male bright green with red underwings and orange bill, female bright red with violet belly and dark bill. Usually seen flying above forests at first light, squawking loudly. Calls include an ear-shattering, high-pitched squawk, as well as a lower, rasping caw. Formerly grouped with other closely related species under “Eclectus Parrot.”
Stierling's Wren-Warbler
Calamonastes stierlingi
Long-tailed brownish warbler. White below with clean dark barring. Found in broadleaf woodland: miombo, mopane, and Zambezi teak. Usually found in pairs or small groups. Often raises its tail in wren-like fashion. The song consists of three metallic notes, often repeated, reminiscent of a telephone ringtone. Similar to Barred Wren-Warbler, but found in different habitat, and the dark barring on the underparts contrasts more strongly with the white base color.
Chestnut-throated Huet-huet
Pteroptochos castaneus
Fairly common but elusive; heard far more often than seen. Favors native temperate forest and adjacent shrubbery, especially bamboo. Feeds on the ground by scratching with its big feet in leaf litter, and runs very quickly and stealthily. Agitated birds can call loudly from middle level perches, cocking their tail. Nests in burrows, but can nest high up in tree hollows. Plumage distinctive, with pale eyering, deep rusty throat and breast, and blue gray back. No range overlap with Black-throated Huet-huet.
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