Photo: Julian Londono from Manizales, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow-bellied Siskin
Spinus xanthogastrus
Yellow-bellied Siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 12.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Spinus
- Species xanthogastrus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Yellow-bellied Siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 161,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-bellied Siskin?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a very small bird that weighs around 12.7 g.
Where does the Yellow-bellied Siskin live?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Yellow-bellied Siskin belong to?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin (Spinus xanthogastrus) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Yellow-bellied Siskin eat?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Yellow-bellied Siskin migrate?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Yellow-bellied Siskin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Yellow-bellied Siskin make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-bellied Siskin — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Yellow-bellied Siskin's range?
The Yellow-bellied Siskin has a mapped global range of about 161,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.