Peg-billed Finch

Peg-billed Finch

Acanthidops bairdi

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Irazú Volcano National Park
45 Verified sightings at Irazú Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026
628 Verified sightings across all 8 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Peg-billed Finch

The peg-billed finch (Acanthidops bairdi) is a passerine bird endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Despite its name, it is not a true finch, but now recognized as a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae), after being long placed in the Emberizidae. It is the only member of the genus Acanthidops. The scientific name commemorates the American ornithologist Spencer Fullerton Baird.

The peg-billed finch was formally described in 1882 by the American ornithologist Robert Ridgway from a specimen collected near the Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica. To accommodate the new species Ridgway introduced the genus Acanthidops and coined the binomial name Acanthidops bairdi. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek akanthis meaning "spiky" with ōps meaning "face". The specific epithet honours the American naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird. No subspecies are recognised.

The peg-billed finch is a long-tailed species, 13.5 cm long and weighing 16 g. It has a distinctive long upturned bill with a black upper mandible and yellow lower mandible. The adult male is slate grey, becoming paler on the belly. The female is olive-brown above, becoming paler... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
2 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
3 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
4 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
5 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
6 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
7 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
8 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Peg-billed Finch in Irazú Volcano National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Peg-billed Finch sighting in Irazú Volcano National Park, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Peg-billed Finch in Irazú Volcano National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Peg-billed Finch in Irazú Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

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