Pine Siskin (Carduelis tristis)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Pine Siskins breed from south Alaska to Newfoundland, in mountains to California and Texas; in East, to Great Lakes and northern New England,   They winter south Alaska across Canada and throughout most of the U.S.A.

Pine Siskins are a small, streaked finch, widespread in coniferous  and mixed coniferous - deciduous woods is summer, in migration and winter they are also found in fields, thickets, and backyards.   Their sharp pointed  bills (thinner than other finches) are distinctive up close.   

Like many northern finches, they are erratic wanderers, especially in winter when irrupting south of their usual.   Gregarious, they are often seen with American Goldfinches and Common Redpolls in winter.   They visit feeders and forage on the ground as well as in trees, eating mostly seeds.

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and Happy New Year.

BarrytheBirder