From Opus

Photo by Avidbirdman
Frisco, Colorado, November, 2005

Carduelis pinus

[edit] Identification

• Small - 5 ins (12.5 cms)
• Short, forked tail
• Long, pointed wings
• Long, slender bill
• Brown body with heavy streaking
• Yellow wing and tail patches

[edit] Male

Bright yellow wingbars

[edit] Distribution

Canada, Alaska and northern parts of the United States, occasionally travelling much further south in cold winters. They have been observed in Texas during the 2008-2009 winter.

[edit] Taxonomy

Female left, male right
Pine Siskins on thistle socks. Photo by Daddylion
South-eastern Michigan, Februrary, 2009

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• C. p. pinus:

• Coniferous forests of southern Alaska to US; winters to central Mexico

• C. p. macroptera:

• Coniferous forests of northern Baja California, north-western and central Mexico

• C. p. perplexus:

• Mountains of southern Mexico (Chiapas) to south-western Guatemala

[edit] Habitat

Coniferous and deciduous forests, woodlands, parks, shade trees near human habitation, alder thickets, and brushy pastures.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

Includes seeds, plant parts and some insects.

[edit] Breeding

The female builds a large, shallow cup of twigs, grass, bark strips, rootlets, leaves, and lichen, lined with moss, plant down, hair, and feathers. 3 to 4 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for about 13 days. She is fed by the male. The young leave the nest after 13 to 17 days, and the parents continue to feed the young for about three more weeks.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Wikipedia
3. Answers.com

• List of references

[edit] External Links