Sensational Siskins

Hi all today is day 45 and I have a beautiful bird that I absolutely love. That bird is the Siskin. You can see it feeding on the right of this text and I'm sure you'll agree that it's a very nice bird. Anyway I think it's now time to get on with the facts:

Siskin ( Carduelis spinus)  feeding
 (the male Siskin is the top one females are the
bottom ones)

• With 369,000 breeding pairs in the UK it is a safe green status as it has had no declines recently. Most of these birds are found across Scotland and Wales but there are some in England in the Winter.

• They are a small bird about 12cm long with a wingspan of 8-9cm and they weigh 12-18g or about the same size and weight as a Blue Tit.

• It has a forked tail and yellow stripes on its black wings. It also has a narrow bill as it is a member of the finch family (Fringillidae). 

• Because of its yellow-green streaks the female in particular can be confused with the Greenfinch however the Greenfinch is much bigger. 

• Siskins love seeds especially those found on Conifer, Alder and Birch trees. They will also come in search of nuts and seeds on bird tables if they live near by. A good way of attracting these birds to your table is by putting out thistle seeds. 

• These birds nest in Conifer trees, the female builds a small neat nest high in the tree. This is built from twigs and lichen and lined with feathers and roots. 

• The female lays 2 clutches of eggs a year which usually consists of 2-6 eggs and she incubates them herself. 

• They are monogamous birds which means the pair stay together for life although they can colonise with different Siskins. 

• Siskins remain close to their breeding sites unless food is hard to find so they may have to travel further South. 

• The Siskin is sometimes known as the Pine Siskin or the Pine Chirper because of the noise they make (if you haven't figured out already this is a chirp). 

• They are little acrobats and often hang upside down when eating although sadly I've never seen one on a trapeze. (lol).

Here are some links to more information:

RSPB - Siskin

BBC Nature - Siskin

Garden Birds - Siskin

Bird Houses 101 - Siskin

Hope you enjoyed,

Z.