Pine siskin

Pine siskin perched on a bare branch in falling snow, showing streaked plumage and yellow wing edges, Manitoba

The pine siskin is a small, heavily streaked finch with a thin, sharply pointed bill. Look closely and you will find bright yellow edges on its wings and tail, which are often hidden until the bird flutters or takes off.

Siskins nest in coniferous forests and are famous for irruptions, in which large flocks wander south in winters when cone crops fail in the north. They are acrobatic feeders that hang from seed heads and cones, and in Manitoba they are most often seen at feeders and in spruce and cedar from fall through spring.

I enjoy the streaky brown plumage of a pine siskin and the hidden flashes of yellow that appear when it spreads its wings.

To find out more about the pine siskin and the places it lives, visit All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • Pine siskin perched on a bare branch in falling snow, showing streaked plumage and yellow wing edges, Manitoba
  • Pine siskin puffed up against the cold on a snow-covered cedar branch, Manitoba
  • Pine siskins jostling at a feeder
  • Pine siskins clustered around a yellow thistle feeder, Manitoba
  • Pine siskin perched on a spruce branch, showing streaked plumage and yellow wing edges, Manitoba

Pine siskin Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the pine siskin in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the pine siskin nests and spends the winter, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the pine siskin in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield and the Boreal Plains (gold) and wintering in the Prairies (blue). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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