Hooded Siskin
Spinus magellanicus
About This Species
Look for small flocks feeding on seed heads in open grassland, scrub and cultivated edges, often flying up together with a light, twittering call when disturbed. Yellow wing patches flash conspicuously in flight, making flocks easy to pick out even at a distance. Non-breeding months, when flocks gather to feed on ripening seed heads, tend to give the most consistent views.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep to field margins and tracks rather than walking directly into feeding areas, since flushing a flock repeatedly wastes the energy it needs for foraging.
- Wild bird protections apply broadly across this species' South American range, though the specific laws and their enforcement differ between countries, so avoid any handling or nest disturbance.
- Approach slowly and stop well short if the flock becomes restless.
LCAvesPasseriformesFringillidae
Seasonal Activity
200,911 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
Photo
(c) Guilherme Cameis Freda, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Guilherme Cameis Freda
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.