Greenish Yellow Finch - BirdForum Opus

Photo by njlarsen
Near Putre, northern, Chile, November 2009

Sicalis olivascens

Identification

13·5–14 cm
A greenish-greyish-olive Yellow Finch with yellowish flanks, a curved culmen and low contrast of rump to back.

Similar species

Female
Photo by nkgray
Moquegua, Peru, September 2012

Lacks yellowish wing coverts of Puna Yellow Finch

Distribution

South America: found in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 3 subspecies^[1]:

• S. o. salvini:

• Andes of northern Peru (La Libertad to Huánuco, Junín and Ayacucho)

• S. o. chloris:

• Western slope of Andes of Peru (Ancash) to northern Chile (Coquimbo)

• S. o. olivascens:

• Andes of south-eastern Peru (Cuzco) to western Bolivia and north-western Argentina

Monte Yellow Finch was formerly included in this species.

Habitat

Immature
Photo by nkgray
Moquegua, Peru, September 2012

Prepuna (dry valleys), village outskirts. Observed at heights around 2,925m.

Behaviour

Diet

There is little available information, but they appear to forage for seeds in large groups.

Movements

Altitudinal migrant with at least some birds descending to lower elevation in winter.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase
3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved February 2015)
4. Birdforum thread discussing taxonomy of this species
5. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Greenish Yellow Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Greenish_Yellow_Finch

External Links

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