Saffron Finch
Saffron FinchSaffron FinchSaffron FinchSaffron Finch

Saffron Finch

Sicalis flaveola

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Yasuní National Park
36 Verified sightings at Yasuní National Park From 2019 to 2026
17,949 Verified sightings across all 42 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Saffron Finch

The saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola) is a tanager from South America that is common in open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, northern Venezuela (where it is called "canario de tejado" or "roof canary"), western Ecuador, western Peru, eastern and southern Brazil (where it is called "canário-da-terra" or "native canary"), Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago. It has also been introduced to Hawaii, Panama, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and elsewhere. Although commonly regarded as a canary, it is not related to the Atlantic canary. Formerly, it was placed in the Emberizidae but it is close to the seedeaters.

The saffron finch was formally described in 1766 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 12th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Fringilla flaveola. The specific epithet is a diminutive of the Latin flavus meaning "golden" or "yellow". The type locality is Suriname. The saffron finch is now placed in the genus Sicalis that was introduced in 1828 by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie.

Five subspecies are recognised: S. f. flaveola (Linnaeus, 1766... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park

Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Palm Tanager

Palm Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis palmarum

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Red-capped Cardinal
LC

Red-capped Cardinal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Paroaria gularis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Silver-beaked Tanager
LC

Silver-beaked Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocelus carbo

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Opal-rumped Tanager
LC

Opal-rumped Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tangara velia

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Masked Crimson Tanager
LC

Masked Crimson Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocelus nigrogularis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Green Honeycreeper
LC

Green Honeycreeper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlorophanes spiza

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Purple Honeycreeper
LC

Purple Honeycreeper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanerpes caeruleus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Magpie Tanager
LC

Magpie Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cissopis leverianus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Opal-crowned Tanager
LC

Opal-crowned Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tangara callophrys

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Paradise Tanager
LC

Paradise Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tangara chilensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Turquoise Tanager
LC

Turquoise Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tangara mexicana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~80%
2 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~70%
3 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~70%
4 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~70%
5 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~60%
6 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~60%
7 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~50%
8 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~50%
9 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
10 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~40%
11 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
12 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~40%
13 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~30%
14 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~30%
15 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~20%
16 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
17 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~20%
18 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~20%
19 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
20 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~10%
21 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
22 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
23 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
24 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
25 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
26 Nahuel Huapi National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
27 Canaima National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
28 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
29 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
30 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
31 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
32 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
33 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
34 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
35 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
36 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
37 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
38 Huascarán National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
Insufficient data
39 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
Insufficient data
40 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
Insufficient data
41 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
42 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Saffron Finch in Yasuní National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Saffron Finch sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Saffron Finch in Yasuní National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Saffron Finch in Yasuní National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Yasuní National Park