Finch (Saffron)

The Saffron Finch is a Tanger and an immigrant of South America. It was introduced I the 1960's and common to Kona coast on the big island of Hawaii. They are mostly yellow with varying amount of orange on the fore crown of the males. Females are duller in colour.




They are common in dry forest areas and gregarious forming large post breeding flocks sometimes in the hundreds. They forge on the ground for seeds and insects will visit feeders. They nest in cavities of trees and will lay 2-3 eggs a year. The female above incubates the eggs and the males below guards the nest.

Photographed in the wild, Kuhala, Big Island Hawaii