Puna Yellow-Finch (Sicalis lutea)

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

puna_yellow-finch
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Puno, Peru

puna_yellow-finch
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Puno, Peru

puna_yellow-finch
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Puno, Peru

puna_yellow-finch
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Puno, Peru


Identification & Behavior: ~13.5 (5.2 in). The Puna Yellow-Finch is all yellow with no streaking or mottling on the back. Both sexes are similar, but the female is slightly duller. It is the most “yellow” of all Andean Yellow-Finches. It forages on open grasslands in family groups and in flocks in the company of other birds. It is similar to the Greenish Yellow-Finch but is distinguished by being brighter yellow overall, and by foraging in open short-grass areas.

Status: The Puna Yellow-Finch is overall fairly common and restricted to extreme southern Peru at elevations ranging between 3300-4500 m. It also occurs in Bo.

Name in Spanish: Chirigüe de la Puna.

Sub-species: Puna Yellow-Finch (Sicalis lutea), (d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye), 1837.

Meaning of Name: Sicalis: Gr. sikalis, sukallis, sukalidos= a small, black-headed bird, mentioned by Epicharmus. lutea: L. luteus= saffron-yellow, lutum= saffron, yellow dye.

See more of the Family Thraupidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
puna_yellow-finchVoice


References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2016.