HOODED SISKIN Carduelis magellanica
A twittery call, followed by the bounding airborne appearance of a little greenish-yellow bird with a forked tail and broad yellow wing band is the unmistakeable calling card of the Hooded Siskin. Visitors from Europe or the USA may even recognise the distinctive flight pattern of the Carduelis finches from the Goldfinches and Siskins they are familiar with at home. This species favours open habitats with scattered trees, particularly in areas with conifers, and usually feeds high in the tree crown where constant calling betrays their presence. They can't resist seeding grass though, and will descend to ground level to feed with Saffron Finches and seedeaters, perching on bending stems and plucking the succulent seeds.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - Adult male ventral view, Encarnación Fería Municipal, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith November 2006).
FIGURE 2 - Pair, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 3 - Adult male, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 4 - Same individual upperwing (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 6 - Adult female, Asunción, Departamento Central (Karina Diarte Photography).
FIGURE 6 - Adult female, Naranjaty, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Alberto Esquivel July 2004).
FIGURE 7 - Adult female, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 8 - Adult female head detail, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith December).
FIGURE 9 - Same individual as Fig 7 upperwing (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 10 - Immature male, Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August).
FIGURE 11 - Immature male, location unknown (Frank Fragano undated).
VIDEO - Adult female, PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith December).
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Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith, Karina Diarte, Frank Fragano and Alberto Esquivel and are used with their permission.