Red siskin
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2012) |
Red siskin | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Fringillidae |
Subfamily: | Carduelinae |
Genus: | Spinus |
Species: | S. cucullatus
|
Binomial name | |
Spinus cucullatus (Swainson, 1820)
| |
![]() | |
Synonyms | |
The red siskin (Spinus cucullatus) is a small endangered finch native to tropical South America - in northern Colombia, northern Venezuela (where it is called the "cardenalito") and Guyana.[1] It was common in the early 20th century, occurring throughout the foothills of northern Venezuela, but has now become extremely rare in a fragmented range. The population on Trinidad is believed to be extirpated, with no sightings since 1960.[citation needed]
Habitat
The red siskin is found in open country, forest edges and grassland with trees or shrubs. The female is believed to lay three greenish-white eggs in a grassy cup nest in a tree.
Description
The red siskin is about 10 cm long. The male is mainly deep red, with black on the head, throat, flight feathers and tail tip, and a whitish lower belly and under tail. The female is grey on the head, breast, and upper parts, apart from a red rump and upper tail. The breast is grey with reddish flanks, and the rest of the underparts, the wings and tail resemble the corresponding areas of the male. Immature females are paler than the adults, and immature males are brown rather than red.
Call
The call is a high-pitched chitter and sharp chi-tit like the Indian silverbill, and the male's song is a musical goldfinch-like melody with twitters and trills.
Diet
Red siskins eat seeds and are highly gregarious. When they were more numerous, they formed semi-nomadic flocks.
Conservation
This siskin has been illegally trapped for the cage bird trade[3] and endangered by environmental factors. Domestication has probably been responsible for the continuation of the species, which might otherwise be extinct. This is an attractive finch with a pleasant song, and its unique coloration for a small finch has led to it being used for interbreeding with domestic canaries to produce varieties with red in the plumage.
Conservation status
The red siskin is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List and nationally critically endangered in Venezuela. It is listed on CITES Appendix I. The greatest threat to the species has been intense illegal trapping for the bird trade since the 1940s, however the species also faces extensive habitat loss.[1] Some hope has been given to this highly endangered species by the discovery in 2003 of a population of several thousand birds in southern Guyana, 1000 km from any previously known colony. Otherwise, the world population is believed to be between 600-6,000 pairs.
Researchers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute lead a program, the Red Siskin Initiative, with the goals of uncovering more about this species and preventing its extinction.[4] The National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA has a captive breeding program for the species.[5]
References
- ^ a b c BirdLife International (2018). "Spinus cucullatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22720374A132138099. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22720374A132138099.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ Sánchez‐Mercado, A.; Cardozo‐Urdaneta, A.; Moran, L.; Ovalle, L.; Arvelo, M. Á.; Morales‐Campos, J.; Coyle, B.; Braun, M. J.; Rodríguez‐Clark, K. M. (2019). "Social network analysis reveals specialized trade in an Endangered songbird". Animal Conservation. 23 (2): 132–144. doi:10.1111/acv.12514. ISSN 1367-9430.
- ^ Red Siskin Initiative. "Red Siskin". RSI. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Grasslands". National Aviary. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
- Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
- ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
- Finches and sparrows by Clement, Harris and Davis, ISBN 0-7136-8017-2
External links
- Birdlife International fact pageError: "Q27075875" is not a valid Wikidata entity ID.
- CS1 maint: url-status
- Articles with short description
- Articles lacking in-text citations from March 2012
- All articles lacking in-text citations
- IUCN Red List endangered species
- Articles with 'species' microformats
- All articles with unsourced statements
- Articles with unsourced statements from February 2021
- Taxonbars desynced from Wikidata
- Taxonbar pages requiring a Wikidata item
- Taxonbars with invalid from parameters
- Taxonbars without secondary Wikidata taxon IDs
- Spinus (genus)
- Birds of Colombia
- Birds of the Guianas
- Birds of Venezuela
- Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
- Birds of Puerto Rico
- Birds of the Caribbean
- Birds described in 1820
- Taxa named by William John Swainson
- Species endangered by the pet trade