329. Pine Siskin

Of the nine species of finch that we have recorded so far here at Leaning Oaks, the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is the most abundant and constant on the property, with records from every week of the year.  That being said, it IS a finch, a group of birds known for nomadism and irruptive behaviour and that has been in ample evidence this year.   Large numbers of Pine Siskins have been present for months now and and feeders have been very busy with this species since last September.  Flocks of siskins have been passing overhead nearly constantly and their upward slurred calls are a nearly constant sound during daylight hours here ever since June of 2020.  

The movements of Pine Siskin are, at least in part, linked to food availability and they wander widely when food crops are low in the northern forests.  These irregular movements are layered on top of a seasonal migration, making generalizations about siskins movements difficult to describe.  

They feed on a wide variety of seeds, including thistle and dandelion, conifers, alders and birches. Their use of bird feeders at Leaning Oaks is variable, some years they are present nearly constantly, and other years they might not use our feeders much or at all.  Presumably in years where there are heavy conifer or alder seed crops they may not need to forage at bird feeders.    They also take green buds and a variety of arthropod prey.  Their thin, pointed bills make dealing with very hard seeds difficult and they often use broken seeds left by other finches.  

Anyone with a feeder will notice that Siskins are remarkably variable in patterning, especially the amount of yellow visible on the wings. Gender is not reliably determined by either plumage or size.
Females are fed on their nests by males and therefore seldom leave the nest during incubation.  Adults feed their youngsters by regurgitation of a thick yellowish or greenish paste.  Young leave the nest on 13 to 17 days after hatching.