Meet the Glacier Finch: Tiny bird that builds its nest on ice

Meet the Glacier Finch: This tiny bird defies cold, constructing its nest right on South America's snowy mountain glaciers. (Image: @DevindeZwaan/X)

Also Known as Diuca Finch:  Also referred to as the White-winged Diuca Finch, it inhabits the Andes of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. (Image: @DevindeZwaan/X)

A Bizarre Nesting Habit: It's the only bird thus far known to make its nests right on glacial ice—nature's chilliest day-care centre. (Image: @TomCadwallender/X)

Ice Nesting Mystery: Why it prefers ice remains controversial. Some claim it's for predator protection or thermoregulation. (Image: @TomCadwallender/X)

Survival in Extreme Cold: Even in icy cold temperatures, these finches hatch and reproduce chicks on top of the glaciers. (Image: @DevindeZwaan/X)

High-Altitude Specialist: They inhabit altitudes higher than 4,000 metres, where there is a lack of oxygen and it is freezing cold. (Image: @wgtollef/X)

Seed and Insect Diet: They eat alpine seeds and small insects in the thin vegetation of high mountain areas. (Image: @UMassAmherst/X)

Nest Constructed of Insulating Materials: Although constructed upon ice, nests are lined with feathers, grass, and moss to insulate chicks. (Image: @birdd111/X)

Climate Threats Close In: Climate change is melting glaciers and endangering their limited nesting areas and eventual existence. (Image: @birdd111/X)

A Small Icy Marvel: The Glacier Finch is still one of nature's most compelling birds, surviving where few others will attempt to breed. (Image: @pray_salah/X)