Olivaceous siskin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olivaceous siskin |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Spinus
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| Species: |
olivaceus
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| Synonyms | |
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Sporagra olivacea |
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The olivaceous siskin (Spinus olivaceus) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to the finch family, which includes many well-known songbirds. You can find this special bird living in the mountains of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. It loves to live in warm, wet mountain forests, even in areas where forests have been changed by people.
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What the Olivaceous Siskin Looks Like
Male vs. Female
Adult male olivaceous siskins are quite striking! They have a black face, head, and throat. This black color also covers the top part of their chest. They wear a thin yellow "collar" around their neck. The rest of their upper body is olive green with black streaks. Their lower back, called the rump, is bright yellow.
When a male siskin flies, you can see a cool yellow patch on its wings. This patch comes from the yellow edges of some feathers. The underside of the bird is yellowish-green, with a dull yellow on its lower chest and belly. Its tail is brownish-black, but the outer feathers have yellow at their base.
Female olivaceous siskins look a bit different. They don't have the black head and face like the males. Instead, their head and upper body are mostly yellowish-olive. However, their yellow rump, wings, and tail look similar to the male's. Both male and female siskins have grey beaks and pinkish-brown or brown legs.
Young Siskins
Young olivaceous siskins, called juveniles, look a lot like the adult females. But their colors are usually more brownish. Any yellow parts on them are duller, sometimes buff, or even streaked with brown.
Where They Live
Their Mountain Home
The olivaceous siskin lives on the eastern side of the high Andes mountains. These mountains are in tropical areas. You can find them from northern Peru all the way to La Paz and Cochabamba in Bolivia. They also live in southeastern Ecuador. Sometimes, they have been seen east of the Andes near Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia.
These birds usually live at high altitudes. They are found between 1,200 and 3,000 meters (about 3,900 to 9,800 feet) above sea level. They prefer forest clearings and the edges of forests.
How They Behave
The olivaceous siskin is a very active and social bird. You will often see them in pairs or small groups. Sometimes, especially in winter, they form larger flocks.
They mostly eat seeds. They find their food mainly on the ground or in low bushes. But sometimes, they will look for seeds higher up in trees. Their behavior and how they look are similar to another bird called the hooded siskin. However, these two types of siskins live in different areas and prefer different kinds of habitats.
Conservation Status
The olivaceous siskin lives across a wide area and is quite common. Even though their numbers might be slowly going down, it's not happening fast enough to be a big worry right now. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed its conservation status as "least concern". This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
