Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Laysan Finch
Telespiza cantans
Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 33.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Telespiza
- Species cantans
Quick facts
- Weight
- 33.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Laysan Finch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Laysan Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO Hawaiian Is.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 33.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.1 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Laysan Finch?
The Laysan Finch is a small bird that weighs around 33.3 g.
Where does the Laysan Finch live?
The Laysan Finch is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO Hawaiian Is, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Laysan Finch belong to?
The Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Laysan Finch eat?
The Laysan Finch is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Laysan Finch migrate?
The Laysan Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Laysan Finch endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
How large is the Laysan Finch's range?
The Laysan Finch has a mapped global range of about 3 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Fringillidae
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.