We've got Pine Siskins coming out of our ears here lately! They seem to be everywhere you look and are monopolizing our thistle sock feeders. We've had Pine Siskins here before, but never in the numbers we are seeing this year.
I feel so bad for our little Goldfinches - the Pine Siskins are outnumbering them greatly and seem to chase them from the feeders. I always thought that Pine Siskins and Gold Finches pretty much got along (after all, they are both members of the finch family), but this year there seems to be some serious discrimination happening and the Pine Siskins appear to have the upper hand.
But, once the Pine Siskins decide to start to head north for the summer, I'm sure my beloved Goldfinches will have full reign of the thistle feeders once again.
Meet Spinus Pinus
A member of the finch family, Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus) can be found throughout the US in the winter, but usually head north to Canada to breed. Pine Siskins are small birds with light brown streaks and bright yellow and black edges on their wings and tails. They usually travel in flocks and prefer woodlands and open conifer forests.
Here are a few photos from our thistle feeders...
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