Yellow-breasted Greenfinch
Chloris spinoides
Beautiful and intricately-patterned finch. Male has yellow underparts, a black cap, and a dark patch behind the ear on a yellow face. Female is similar to the male, but paler and less contrastingly colored. Like other greenfinches, usually found in pairs to large flocks foraging in both trees and low grassy patches. Inhabits forests, edges, and grassy or brushy outskirts in montane and foothill areas. Song is a series of constant twittering interspersed by lower notes; calls include wheezy notes and high twitters.
Identification
The yellow-breasted greenfinch is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) in length and weighs between 15 and 21 g (0.53 and 0.74 oz). It has a brown conical bill and bright yellow wing bars. The underparts are bright yellow. The sexes have similar plumage but the female is less brightly coloured.
Taxonomy
The yellow-breasted greenfinch was described by the Irish zoologist Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1831 under the binomial name Carduelis spinides. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the greenfinches are not closely related to the species in the genus Carduelis. They have therefore been moved to the resurrected genus Chloris which had been introduced by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1800. The word Chloris is from the Ancient Greek word khlōris for the European greenfinch; the specific epithet is from spinus in Fringilla spinus Linnaeus, 1758, the Eurasian siskin, and the Ancient Greek suffix -oidēs meaning "resembling".<p>Two subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Chloris spinoides
- Authority
- (Vigors, 1831)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Chloris
Range and habitat
The species occurs primarily in the mid-altitudes of the Himalayas, and in parts of Southeast Asia. It ranges across Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate shrubland.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds

Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
Small, compact grebe with thin pointed bill. Breeding adults have long golden tuft behind red eye. Also look for rich chestnut neck and body contrasting with darker back. In winter, grayish overall with a black cap and contrasting white cheek. Red eye visible at close range. Breeds on marshy ponds; during migration and winter, often seen on large lakes, bays, and open ocean. Compare with Eared Grebe, especially in winter. Horned is thicker-necked and larger-headed. Also note Horned's flatter crown, white cheek contrasting with dark cap, and pale tip on bill.

Lesson's Seedeater
Sporophila bouvronides
Small, sparrow-like bird. Male has mostly black head with large white whisker mark; female is olive-brown on back and pale yellowish below with a dull yellow bill. Found in open marshlands and disturbed habitats with long grass, especially near water; often seen in flocks, feeding on grass seeds. Song is a staccato series of about 10 notes on one pitch. Most similar to Lined Seedeater, but male Lesson’s lacks a white stripe on crown; females of the two species are identical and not safely identified unless accompanied by males. Females are best told from other seedeaters (except Lined) by strong yellowish wash on underparts and relatively small, dull yellow bill.

Orinoco Softtail
Thripophaga cherriei
Distinctive rounded-tailed rufous-brown bird of riverine habitats. Narrow buffy eyebrow and buffy streaks on cheeks and breast. Upperparts rufous-brown and underparts olive-brown; rich chestnut in chin, wings, rump, and tail. Rare, usually in pairs, found from understory to mid-level in riverine forest in very restricted range. Voice consists of repeated “CHEUP” notes, mostly in duet. Similar to Delta Amacuro Softtail (no range overlap), which is more streaked (including the head) and lacks buff eyebrow; Speckled Spinetail has a buffy (not orange) chin, paler head and breast with dark speckling, and a rufoud cap. Endemic to the Orinoco River and nearby tributaries in southwestern Venezuela and eastern Colombia.
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