Pine Siskin

Pine Siskin - a Small Year-Round Finch 

Pine Siskin

In New Brunswick the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is a year-round resident. They seem more prevalent in winter but that is probably because our large number of summer species have gone south.  Siskins are seen in small flocks feeding on coniferous or deciduous trees or alders often accompanied by flocks of American Goldfinches.  It is pleasant to find them in winter because their cheerfulness brightens a winter day.  The flock is almost always characterized by their high pitched 'zeeeeeeeee' rising song.  I am always happy to record their numbers on a Christmas Bird Count.

Pine Siskin [Mitch Doucet Photo]

The Pine Siskin is a small finch about 13 cm (5 in) long.  It is entirely brown striped with yellow on the wings and a small patch of yellow on the sides of the tail.  The tail is deeply notched and there are two white wing bars.  The bill is fine and sharply pointed.  Males and females look alike.  This species is a permanent resident in Atlantic Canada, across southern Canada and down into the western US.  It is a summer resident in northern Canada from Labrador across to Yukon and southern Alaska.  It is a winter resident throughout the US.  

Pine Siskin

Pine Siskins feed on the seeds of alders, birches, spruce and other trees.  They sometimes feed by hanging upside down from the tips of branches.  They also feed on weed seeds especially thistle, forbs, buds, insects and spiders.  No wonder they are at home in our forest.  We have lots for them to feed on.  They will come to feeders for seeds especially niger seed.  Flocks are sometimes found feeding on salt on roadsides.  They also drink sap from holes drilled in trees by sapsuckers.  

Because this species is quite unique, identification is relatively easy.  The only two species one might mistake if for are the House Finch and the Common Redpoll.  The House Finch is larger, more heavily streaked, has a much stubbier bill and a square tail tip.  The Common Redpoll has a red cap, a black chin and shows no yellow on wings or tail.  

Pine Siskins nest in coniferous trees usually 10 to 50 feet up.  Three to five green blue eggs spotted with black or brown are laid in a nest made of bark, twigs and moss.  The nest is usually far out from the trunk.  The female incubates the eggs about 13 days.  They sometimes will nest in bushes or shrubs.  

Pine Siskins are nomadic and move around in flocks.  That accounts for large flocks sometimes seen in winter.  We would also see more in winter because the summer residents of the far north move south and spend their winters in southern Canada, adding to our permanent resident population.  Pine Siskins are sometimes our most numerous winter finch.  

The name, siskin, is derived from the sound the birds make.  Their 'zreeeeee' sometimes starts with a 'sis sis sis...'.