Wesley's Backyard Birds
Pine Siskin

The Pine Siskin is the commonest of the irruptive "winter finches." An irruptive bird is one that will irregularly migrate to a location that it normally doesn't go to, or will migrate to a place every other year or so. This is mainly due to food shortage where they normally migrate to in the winter. Pine Siskins are small, streaked, yellow-tinged finches. They are closely related to the Common Redpoll and the Goldfinches, which they are commonly seen flocking and feeding with Goldfinches. Their bills are slimmer than those of most finches. Males often have yellow wing-stripes and tails, although the yellow is highly variable. Like other finches, they have notched tails.