The Sicalis group of tanager-finches is a peculiar collection of small, yellowish birds. Found mostly throughout arid and semi-arid habitats across South America, some of these birds present identification challenges due to their similar habits and appearances. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you view it) some Sicalis tanager-finches band together in mixed species flocks. They spend most of their time on the ground, a fact made evident by the unflattering presence of oversized feet. Much work needs to be done to understand these species better, as there are gaps in the information for many of the species.
To be fair, finding members of the Sicalis genus is a task of variable difficulty. While some of them are fairly well adapted to human habitation and enjoy good fortune in the suburbs, others are fine-tuned to survive in some of the harshest, driest areas on the planet. Therefore, most Sicalis tanager-finches have a habitat-limited range. Some species are restricted to a singular area, while the species with wider ranges occupy disjoint areas across the continent.
This differentiation is most apparent within Trinidad. I refer to Trinidad as a “continental island” due in part to its geological history of being part of the mainland until the end of the last ice age, and also partly due to how habitats on this island are scaled-down versions of what is present on mainland South America. On Trinidad, three tanager-finches have been recorded – one regarded as “accidental” having been seen once, nesting in 1926. Then there is Saffron Finch which is one of those species comfortable living alongside humans. Lawns are often decorated with small flocks of these yellow jewels, the males sport a glowing orange forecrown.
Saffron Finch
In 2004 a small flock of Grassland Yellow-Finch was seen for the first time by a pair of legendary local guides in a farm in the northeast of Trinidad. Fiercely loyal to their preferred habitat, this small population has persisted in this particular area for now upwards of two decades, and has since spread to one or two adjoining agricultural pastures. While reliable in these areas, they are notably absent from the avifauna in the rest of the island.
Overall, Grassland Yellow-Finch is the widest-ranging Sicalis, from Mexico down to central Chile. Across this impressive – albeit patchy – distribution, there are distinct populations. Since 2004 the population of Grassland Yellow-Finch has been similar to its global distribution – patchy. My personal journey to finding and documenting this species has solely involved poking around in the same two fields over the last fifteen years. Occasionally, the birds are close enough to view with the naked eye – but the usual situation is that one hears their distinctive vocalisations then may see a couple birds streaking from one bush to the next. The chance of sneaking up to their preferred bush exists, but so does the chance of getting run over by some irate bovine.
The buffalypso – a special, Trinidad-created hybrid water buffalo – is a temperamental beast.
My first looks at Grassland Yellow-Finch were on roadside barbed wire in a buffalypso-less farm in 2013.
It was two more years until I got another look, this one on a natural perch but further away. Due to the infrequency of encounters coupled with the difficulty of making a decent image, seeking something reasonable ended up morphing into a quest of its own.
Grassland Yellow-Finch, 2015.
After this, I saw them several times, but never in a setting that was photo-friendly. Either the birds were flying past, too far away, or some other obscene circumstance. For example, on the tail end of a gruelling six hour Christmas Bird Count some years ago, just as the sun was at its hellish zenith I heard a Grassland Yellow-Finch singing from a shrub in the pasture. It was already too hot and I knew the pictures would look as good as last week’s garbage so I simply added it to the list and turned on the air conditioning.
For my CBC in 2021, we happened to come across a few Grassland Yellow-Finches singing at dawn.
A few weeks ago while on the hunt for a snipe in the same agricultural area as my first encounter with this species, I noticed several Grassland Yellow-Finches moving from shrub to shrub. After watching them operate for some time, it became apparent that they were deep in courtship and heavily occupied with each other. Some were singing and others were carrying nesting material; there was a lot of buzzing, wheezing, and chasing overall.
What this meant for me was that there was no concern on the birds’ end about my presence – I could only oblige.
Mandatory for old times’ sake: Grassland Yellow-Finch on barbed wire.
The chase is officially over with this standard, close-up portrait of a Grassland Yellow-Finch.
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