Olive Finch

About the Olive Finch

The olive finch (Arremon castaneiceps) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae. Until recently, it was placed in the genus Lysurus. It is found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and far northern Peru where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. The olive finch is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List. The olive finch is related to the sooty-faced finch and ornithologist Carl Eduard Hallmayr even suggested they should be classified as the same species.

The olive finch is found in humid, low mountain forests, often near ravines, forest edges, rivers, and streams. It is found at elevations between 700-2200 meters in Columbia, 800-1800 m in Ecuador, and 750-1800 m in Peru.

The olive finch has olive green plumage with a chestnut crown and nape. The face and throat are dark gray, and the wings and tail are darker in color than the rest. The tail is more rounded compared to other Arremon species. A juvenile olive finch presents similarly to adults but with a duller crown, olive throat and face, and uneven plumage coloration. More specific information on the bird's molt and its timing is not available... Wikipedia →