Common Diuca-Finch

<em>Diuca diuca</em>, the common diuca-finch, is a passerine bird in the family Thraupidae. Despite its primary association with South America, this species has been recorded in several European countries as well as Chile, where it is native. It typically inhabits a range of aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments, including open grasslands, shrublands, agricultural fields, and urban parks in its native Andean and coastal Chilean range. <em>Diuca diuca</em> is characterized by its gray plumage, white throat patch, and chestnut-colored flanks, making it one of the more distinctive small finches of the region. Adults generally forage on the ground, feeding on seeds, insects, and small invertebrates. The species often builds cup-shaped nests in shrubs or low trees and typically raises multiple broods per season. Its song is melodious and frequently heard in urban gardens throughout Chile. The common diuca-finch is assessed as Least Concern, indicating stable populations across its native range. Biological traits of populations in European records are not well characterized.