General

Saffron Finch: Native to South America; while called a finch, it is actually in the tanager family. A medium-sized and well-proportioned finch with yellow-green upperparts and yellow underparts; crown is orange. Wing and tail feathers are black edged in yellow. Bill is gray on upper mandible and ivory on lower mandible. The female is duller in color has paler underparts, less orange on the crown, and much less yellow on the central abdomen. Some females resemble juveniles, olive-brown with heavy dark streaks.

Range and Habitat

Saffron Finch: Is a tanager from South America that is common in outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, northern Venezuela western Ecuador, western Peru, eastern and southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago. Been introduced to Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Prefers lowlands that are open or lightly wooded.

Breeding and Nesting

Saffron Finch: Three to five off-white eggs, heavily marked with brown, are laid in a cavity of a tree, crevice of a rock, or under the eaves of a building. Incubation is carried out by the female for 12 to 14 days, chicks fledge at 14 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Saffron Finch: They forage on the ground for seeds, insects, a variety of plants and green food. They also visit backyard feeders. These finches are especially fond of oats. They are mainly seed and grain eaters but feed on various insects and plants as well, especially when breeding.

Readily Eats

Seeds

Vocalization

Saffron Finch: Sings a pleasant but repetitious song of slurred whistles and chirps. Call is a metallic "tick".

Similar Species

Saffron Finch: Not likely to be confused with any other species.