The Story
I found this Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) at PANACA in Quimbaya, Quindío, Colombia, on June 15, 2017, resting on a dark branch with green foliage behind it. Adults are bright yellow with an orange crown, which shows clearly here. The species is a seed-eater of open and semi-open country, and in Colombia it is a familiar bird of pastures, farms, parks and gardens. It is a member of the tanager family rather than the true finches. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I took this frame earlier the same morning as my other Saffron Finch photo from PANACA, with a Canon EOS 70D and the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM at 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1250. The finch sits side-on, its folded wings and long tail lined up along the branch. Farm landscapes like this one show how working land can still leave room for birds.
©2017 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) belongs to the family Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2018), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List