Description

Yellow-Bellied Siskin

The yellow-bellied siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) is a small, brightly colored bird found across a range from Costa Rica to southern Ecuador, central Bolivia, and parts of northwestern Venezuela. It thrives in mountain oak forests at elevations between 800 and 3,000 meters, where it builds its nest in the dense foliage of small trees within clearings, typically between 2.4 and 3.7 meters above the ground. The nesting season for this species falls in April or May, with the female incubating two or three eggs that are pale greenish-white in color.

Adult males of the species are primarily black, contrasting with a strikingly bright yellow belly, wing patches, and sides of the tail. In contrast, females are dark olive-green above with pale yellow underparts that brighten on the belly, and they display blackish wings and tail with yellow accents on the wing primaries and tail edges. Juveniles resemble females but have slightly duller colors with dusky feather fringes. While they are not migratory, yellow-bellied siskins may wander within their range outside the breeding season. Their vocalizations include a cheerful chattering song and a sharp “pyee” call.