Photo: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Andean Siskin
Spinus spinescens
Andean Siskin (Spinus spinescens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Andean Siskin (Spinus spinescens) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.3 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 spinescens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Andean Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Andean Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Andean Siskin (Spinus spinescens) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Venezuela.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 4.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 118,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Andean Siskin?
The Andean Siskin is a very small bird that weighs around 11.3 g.
Where does the Andean Siskin live?
The Andean Siskin is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Venezuela, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Andean Siskin belong to?
The Andean Siskin (Spinus spinescens) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Andean Siskin eat?
The Andean Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Andean Siskin migrate?
The Andean Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Andean 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 Andean Siskin make?
1 real field recording of the Andean 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 Andean Siskin's range?
The Andean Siskin has a mapped global range of about 118,000 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.