Description
This bird is smaller than the house sparrow, with a sharply pointed, slender bill. It has a pale body with a heavily-streaked head, back, wings and tail. The belly is whitish with heavy dark streaks. It has yellow highlights at the tips of the tail feathers and along the wings. Pine siskins can be confused with American goldfinch, but goldfinches do not have streaks. They may also be misidentified as house finches or purple finches, but pine siskins have yellow on the wings and tail.
Size
Approximately 4.3 to 5.5 inches in length. Wingspan of 7.1 to 8.7 inches.
Habitat
These birds can be found in riparian forests, pine forests, forest edges, fencerows, and residential neighborhoods. Pine siskins are an occasional visitor statewide.
Life Cycle
At feeders, pine siskin eat thistle and black-oil sunflower seeds. Away from feeders, they search the ground and vegetation for seeds, buds and some insects.
How To Observe
These birds prefer tube-shaped feeders. Pine siskins often visit feeders in flocks with American goldfinches.
