A bright yellow bird with the ability to transform into a glorious, fiery orange.

Meet the saffron finch

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@bri_alcan

The saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola) is a species of bird with a bright yellow body with an orange crown. The back and wings are decorated with black engravings on the feathers. The eyes are dark, the legs are pale grayish-pink, the upper beak is grayish-black while the lower beak is ivory.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@budphotography78

Mature females are a slightly duller version of the male and young hens are usually olive brown with strong dark streaks.

This is a species of tanager that can be easily confused with the grassland yellow finch, but that species is usually duller and more striped on top.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@birds.nature

The saffron finch is primarily found and endemic to South America, where it inhabits parts of northern Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and northeastern Brazil to central Argentina.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@anouk.potters

A good diet for the saffron finch consists of seeds and small insects.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@belmiramcleod

During the breeding season, these birds like to build a basket-shaped nest that they build in various places, including in an ox skull or in a perforated bamboo. It often uses the abandoned nests of other birds and prefers cavities as a nesting place. The hen incubates the eggs alone while her partner takes care of the nest. Once the eggs hatch, both parents accept feeding responsibilities.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@catire202

Although patchily distributed throughout its range, the saffron finch is considered to be of least concern on the IUCN Red List.

Photo courtesy of Picuki|@francisco_the_observer

Watch and listen to this bird right here in the video below: