BIODIVERSITY TO DEFEND OR NOT DEFEND

SUDHASNHU BATRA

SAFFRON SISKIN

SCINTIFIC CLASSIFICATION Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

AnimaliaChordataAvesPasseriformesFringillidaeCarduelisC. siemiradzkii

SCIENTIFIC NAME

• Carduelis siemiradzkii

• Carduelis crassirostris

• Carduelis xanthogastra

• Carduelis yarrellii

COMMON NAMES

• Saffron siskin• Thick-billed Siskin• Yellow-bellied

Siskin• Yellow-faced Siskin

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT SAFFRON SISKIN  Chrysomitris siemiradzkii Berlepsch and

Taczanowski, 1884, Guayaquil, Ecuador.Has recently been proposed that this species be placed in genus Spinus or Spirogyra, and revision may be justifiable as phylogenetic analysis indicates that South American siskin’s are only distantly related to the two Holarctic species (C. spinus and C. pinus), but comprehensive review of all species currently included within present genus is required in order to determine true relationships. Monotypic.

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Carduelis siemiradzkii is confined to south west Ecuador (Manabí, Guayas and Loja) and adjacent north-west Peru (Tumbes). It is uncommon to rare, being considered relatively common in only two areas.

HABITAT OF THE SAFFRON SISKIN

It inhabits semi-arid scrub and dry forest, also forest-edge tall grass and scrub, from near sea-level to 750 m. During fieldwork in July-September 1996, it was not encountered within intact forest, and it is reasonably tolerant of heavily disturbed habitats, with records from central Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city2. However, it may depend on deciduous forest during part of its life-cycle.

 

Most localities appear to be close to the forest-arid scrub interface3, with the exception of records on the coast of Tumbes, Isla Puna, Guayas and a locality about which there is some confusion - Balzar Mountains, Manabí. Breeding is apparently during the wet season in January-May. It may undertake seasonal or nomadic movements, and may respond to

climatic events such as the child2. It is generally seen in groups, sometimes as large as 30 individuals2.

SYSTEMS

Saffron Siskin has terrestrial system.

CURRENT POPULATION

Population estimate = 1.0-10.0 individuals/km2 x 1,840 km2 (10% EOO) = 1,840-18,400, but best placed precautionarily within band 2,500-9,999 individuals as generally considered "uncommon to rare" (density range is lowest end of two estimates for congeners in the BirdLife Population Density Spreadsheet

POPULATION TREND Decreasing

MAJOR THREATS TO SAFFRON SISKIN Threats to this little-known species

are unclear but, if it is dependent on deciduous forest during part of its life-cycle, it is probably seriously threatened by deforestation. Below 900 m, the rate of deforestation in west Ecuador in 1958-1988 was 57% per decade, as a result of clearance for agriculture, and intense grazing by goats and cattle1,2. 1.

Even if the species is not entirely dependent on deciduous forest during part of its life-cycle, the complete loss of forest patches is still likely to be causing local extirpations and ongoing population declines

FOOD WEB

CLASSIFICATION MAP

BRIEF CHARACTERSTICS OF THE SPECIES

Saffron Siskin's are native to Ecuador ( South America). Von Berlepch and Taczanovski named it after geologist Dr. Joseph Siemiradzkii who collected some specimens near Guayaquil some years earlier. It is very rare in the wild and I doubt if anyone has shown any concern about this specie.  It occurs at altitude below 800 m. I have not seen them in captivity, and if they exist they are very rare.

The birds which I have seen were a pair in Frankfurt Museum collected by Dr Siemeradzkii himself, although collected 150 years ago they were still in excellent condition. They are often described as being the smallest of all Siskin's and they were, may be because of their very short tail.

Their overall color patterns are typical to other Hooded Siskin's species, and its unmistakable feature is its saffron breast, rump and under tail coverts. I haven't been able to find out if anyone keeps this specie in the USA but I imagine they are available and kept by someone, according to the European Carduelan breeders they were once kept in Europe but there is doubts if  they still exist. Some scientist consider Saffron Siskin's as a race of Magellanicus which is puzzling if anything they would be more related to the Red Siskin then any other Siskins. As for the breeding results in captivity, nothing has ever been published.

CHARACTERSICS OF PHYLUM CHORDATES

The unfying characterstics of phylum chordates are the presence of the notochord an internal skeletal rod like structure that provides support) during some satge of the animal’s development. Although most of the chordates are vertebrates ( animals whose notochord is replaced during development with interlocking vertebrate)

REFRENCES

http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/birds/Passeriformes/Fringillidae/Carduelis-siemiradzkii

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/149532/0

http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/phyl_chorda.htm

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=8821

http://www.arkive.org/saffron-cowled-blackbird/xanthopsar-flavus/image-G13057.html#text=Threats

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/saffron-siskin-carduelis-siemiradzkii

http://members.tripod.com/carduelan_society/siskins/main_page.htm