Small 12 cm siskin, very rare and local in northwestern Argentina, with a diagnostic white mark on the inner rectrices, especially visible from below in flight. Male with lemon-yellow forehead and crown, olive back with fine streaking, and brownish-gray wings with yellowish edges; ventral area yellow with a slight olive tint. Female yellowish-brown, with heavily streaked head, back, and chest; ventral parts pale yellow with fine streaking and a reduced white tail patch. Juvenile similar to the female, browner and with heavier streaks, including on the face. Differs from the Misto (S. luteola) by the unpatterned face, yellowish forehead, and ventral streaking in females and juveniles.
Distribution: In Argentina, extremely localized on mountain slopes in Salta, Tucumán, and eastern La Rioja, in patches of alders and montane grasslands. Fragmented and poorly known distribution. Also present in Bolivia and, outside the Andes, in scattered regions of central and northern South America. Local elevation: 1400–3000 m.
Habitat: Ravines and slopes with alders, humid shrublands, and montane grasslands; edges of montane forest and herbaceous clearings among shrubs. Selects more humid and conserved environments than other siskins. Avoids open puna grasslands.
Behavior: Found in pairs or small groups, sometimes in mixed flocks with other seedeaters. Feeds on the ground or clinging to grass stems to cut seeds. Active in shrubs and low branches. Song is sharp, short, and repeated, given while perched or in flight.
Diet: Mainly grass seeds, obtained both on the ground and by climbing flexible stems; supplements with arthropods during the breeding season.
Reproduction: Cup-shaped nest made of plant fibers, placed under dense shrubs or in clumps of grasses at low height. Clutch of 2–3 pale turquoise eggs with brown spots.
Conservation status: In Argentina: Data Deficient (IC), as it has a fragmented distribution and very scarce records, resulting in very small populations in the country. Globally: Least Concern.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025