Description: A goldfinch measuring 13–14 cm, very distinctive and restricted to the far north of Jujuy. Male: yellow belly, throat, and face; ash-gray crown and nape; uniform gray back and flanks; gray rump. The contrast between the gray crown and the yellow face is unique among goldfinches of northwestern Argentina. The female shows the same general pattern but duller, with the back gray slightly more brownish and the yellow less intense.
Geographic distribution: Very restricted in Argentina to the far north of Jujuy, especially around La Quiaca, Yavi, and nearby ravines, almost always close to the Bolivian border. Outside Argentina: central and southern Bolivia, from Cochabamba to Tarija. Elevation: 2500–3800 m.
Habitat: Shrubby ravines, barrancas, edges of cultivated fields, rocky areas, and high-Andean towns. Common in sites with scattered shrubs and open clearings. Also frequent near rural dwellings.
Behavior: Forages on the ground, in pairs or groups of 10–20 individuals, and sometimes associates with other Andean seedeaters. Outside the breeding season it often forms communal roosts in barrancas, walls, or sandy cavities. Its song is a rough, rapid trill, interspersed with chatters, dry notes, and short melodic phrases.
Diet: Mainly seeds collected on the ground among grasses, shrubs, or bare soil. Also small fruits and occasionally arthropods.
Reproduction: A colonial species. Nests in holes and tunnels in barrancas, sometimes in old human-made structures. The nest is a small cup at the end of the tunnel. Lays up to 4 white spotted eggs.
Conservation status: Not considered threatened. Despite its restricted presence in Argentina, the species remains stable and is common in suitable habitats of southern Bolivia, tolerating moderately modified environments.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025