Robust 14 cm siskin with a short, conical bill and slightly curved culmen. Male: uniform olive-yellow; throat and chest with clear olive tone; back mottled or streaked; gray loral area, weakly contrasted; rump olive, only slightly more yellow than the back. Belly uniformly yellow. Female: dull brownish-gray with diffuse olive tones; grayish belly with slight yellow wash; olive rump.
Comparison with similar species:
• Monte Siskin (S. mendozae): Brighter and more yellow (almost no olive). Back uniform, without mottling or streaks. Gray loral area strongly contrasting, much more noticeable than in olivascens. Rump intense yellow, not olive.
• Puna Siskin (S. lutea): Much brighter yellow. Bill larger, thicker, and darker. Back less streaked, more homogeneous. Greater overall contrast: pure yellow, not greenish.
Geographic distribution: Andes and precordillera from Peru and Bolivia southward, north and central Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja; between 2,000 and 3,600 m. The most common siskin in the Aconquija / Cumbres Calchaquíes region (Tucumán), descending into valleys in winter. Resident with altitudinal movements.
Habitat: Ravines, high Andean shrub-steppes, rocky slopes, rural areas, village edges, and rocky zones. Common in low vegetation and dry environments.
Behavior: Highly terrestrial. Feeds on the ground, often in large flocks, especially in winter or at dusk when moving toward communal roosts. During the breeding season it sings from shrubs or rocks. Its song is a harsh and dry series of trills and chirps, often descending, like “trrr-trrr-trrr-chrrr…”, rhythmic and not very musical.
Diet: Mainly seeds; supplements with small insects and flowers, always on the ground.
Reproduction: Nest in cliff crevices, cavities in rocks, or human-made structures. Lays 3–4 whitish eggs with brown mottling.
Conservation status: Not threatened. Locally common to abundant.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025