PINE SISKIN

Spinus pinus pinus

Status: Common regular erratic spring and fall migrant statewide. Uncommon regular erratic breeder west, rare casual elsewhere. Common regular erratic winter visitor statewide.

Breeding and migration

Winter

Documentation: Specimen: UNSM ZM7161, 6 Feb 1897 Lincoln, Lancaster Co.

Taxonomy: Spinus, a former sub-genus of Carduelis, was raised to generic status based on genetic data (Chesser et al 2009).

Although four subspecies have been recognized, only two of these breed north of Mexico, weakly differentiated vagans, breeding and wintering from southern Saskatchewan to Alberta and south to California and west Texas, and pinus, breeding from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland and Maine, wintering to south Texas and Florida (Pyle 1997). Gill et al (2022) and Dawson (2020) synonymized vagans and pinus, resulting in three subspecies, two from Mexico to Guatemala and one in US and Canada, pinus. 

Ruth Green banded two forms at NNF Bessey, Thomas Co in May 2002; a smaller “form” (wing chord of females 66-69 and for males 70-73) with bright yellow wing bars and a larger “form” (wing chord average 77) with large, pale wing bars. Based on measurements in Pyle (1997) and Dawson (2020), the large “form” is at the upper end of, but within, wing size measurements for vagans/pinus. Pyle (1997) does note that differences in the amounts of yellow in wings and tail need further study relative to age and sex.

Ruth Green banded a Pine Siskin 29 Apr 1998 at Chadron SP, Dawes Co that appeared at a Springfield, Oregon feeder 12 Dec 1998 (Green 1998).

Two very pale, perhaps leucistic, birds were with over 100 normal Pine Siskins at a feeder near Mitchell, Scotts Bluff Co during winter 2004-2005.

Spring: winter <<<>>> Jun 7, 7, 8

Later dates are 11 Jun 1978 Lancaster Co, 11 Jun 2020 Ponca SP, Dixon Co, 14 Jun 2016 Otoe Co, 9-15 Jun 2011 Lancaster Co, 8-15 Jun 2019 Lancaster Co, 16 Jun 2022 (9) Red Willow Co, 17 Jun 2020 Douglas Co, 24 Jun 2022 Lincoln Co, 9-26 Jun 2019 Madison Co, 27 Jun 2009 Douglas Co, and 1-29 Jun 2019 (4 on 10 Jun) Douglas Co.

Departure of most birds wintering in Nebraska outside of the Pine Ridge breeding range is generally complete by late May. There are, however, a number of Jun reports (later dates, above) which may be of birds that nested; these nesting birds generally depart the nest location by the end of Jun (see Summer). Numbers of Pine Siskins in the state are fewest Jul-Aug (eBird.org, accessed Dec 2023).

Summer: This species is a marginal breeder in Nebraska, although there are reports of nesting statewide (Mollhoff 2022). Dawson (2020) concluded that “establishment of conifers and other trees and shrubs outside of the normal ranges of this bird may help explain why it breeds beyond traditional areas, at least during the 20th century and particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains”. Breeding occurs in the Black Hills of South Dakota (Tallman et al 2002) and in the Laramie Mountains of Wyoming (Faulkner 2010) and presumably extends to the Nebraska Pine Ridge (Dawson 2020). The species is, however, prone to nest on occasion anywhere in Nebraska, especially after winters of high numbers, and, indeed, there may be more actual nesting reports away from the Panhandle than within the Panhandle, although such occurrences rarely establish ongoing breeding locations. Exceptions were a small nesting population on the campus of University of Nebraska-Kearney at Kearney, Buffalo Co for several years through about 2003 (Lanny Randolph, Robin Harding, personal communication), and also at Doane College in Crete, Saline Co since at least 2003 (Mark Orsag, personal communication). Swenk (1929) stated that the first record of nesting for the state was in Sarpy Co in 1904.

Currently, while nesting has not been documented in the Panhandle (Mollhoff 2022), breeding probably occurs on the Pine Ridge, the Wildcat Hills of Scotts Bluff and Banner Cos, and the Bighorn Escarpment of Banner and Morrill Cos, where there are Jun-Jul reports for these areas in most years since 1963. On the Pine Ridge, Rosche (1982) called it a “fairly common summer resident… Breeds. Highly erratic and irregular, particularly summer numbers…”. It appears that Pine Siskin has become a somewhat regular breeder on the Pine Ridge only this century, as Bruner et al (1904) listed it as a migrant and winter visitor only. Two adult females with active brood patches were collected in Jul 1957 west of Crawford in Sioux Co (Ford 1959). Rapp et al (1958) listed it as an uncommon to rare resident on the Pine Ridge. Similarly, at NNF Bessey, Thomas Co it was listed as a “permanent resident” in 1993, with sightings 2 Jul-7 Sep, and was considered a “common permanent resident” by Bray (1994).

There are numerous scattered records of irregular breeding throughout the state; older records were cited by Swenk (1929), Ducey (1988), and Mollhoff (2022). More recently, a Lancaster Co nesting was studied by Perry (1965) and a nesting was attempted at Wayne, Wayne Co in 1983 (Schock 1983). A recent breeding record was of a pair with a newly fledged young bird on the Union College Campus, Lincoln, Lancaster Co 19 May 2018. Breeding occurred in Omaha, Douglas Co in 2020, where two begging juveniles accompanied adults to feeders; siskins had been present since mid-Jan, adults were last seen 14 Jun, and juveniles lingered until 24 Jun. These sporadic statewide breeding records generally occur after large influxes of Pine Siskins in the previous winter, usually occur rather early, and the birds involved usually depart early. It is often difficult to detect whether breeding occurred because the fledged young are mobile often before the last wintering birds depart. Most nestings followed major influxes during the winters of 1959-1960, 1975-1976, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 2004-2005, and 2007-2008; compare with CBC data below (see Winter). Latest departure dates following such nestings are from Lancaster Co in 1978 and 1985 when birds were last seen 10 and 15 Jun respectively, and adults were feeding young in Cheyenne Co 25 Jun 2008. Several individuals with brood patches and two juveniles were netted in Keith Co 9 Jun-21 Jul 1993 (Scharf et al 1993) and in 1994 juveniles were netted 17-21 Jun as well as 17 females with brood patches 9 Jun-4 Jul (Brown et al 1996); Scharf et al (1993) noted that their study “strongly suggests that this species may have bred.”  One in Hall Co 29 Jun 2021 may have bred nearby.

• • Breeding phenology:
  • Nest building: 19 Mar-16 May
  • Eggs: 25 Mar- 23 May (Mollhoff 2022)
    Nestlings: 14 May
    Fledglings: 29 Apr-25 Jun

Fall: Sep 4, 4, 5 <<<>>> winter (east)

Earlier dates in the east are 12 Jul 2018 Cuming Co, 12 Jul 2021 Sarpy Co, 1 Aug 1998 (2) Cass Co, 20 Aug 2019 Ponca SP, Dixon Co, 24 Aug 2023 Lancaster Co, 31 Aug 2019 Douglas Co, and 2-3 Sep 2019 Lancaster Co.

Movement becomes noticeable in Sep, although there are earlier reports Jul-Aug which are likely dispersers from breeding locations in or near Nebraska; individuals known to have bred locally generally depart by late Jun (see Summer). According to Dawson (2020), “wanderings appear superimposed on migratory movements of a varying fraction of the population.” Peak numbers, although highly variable, generally occur in Nebraska in late Oct-Nov. Johnsgard (1980) noted that half of the fall records analyzed were in the period 1 Oct-18 Nov.

In 2023, good numbers spread over the state in Oct; 110 were at Gering Cemetery, Scotts Bluff Co 13 Oct and in the far east 52 were at Fontenelle Pak, Douglas Co 30 Oct.

• • High counts: 470 at Wildcat Hills NC, Scotts Bluff Co 20 Nov 2020, 160 at Lake McConaughy, Keith Co 2 Oct 2020, 143 at Oliver Reservoir, Kimball Co 30 Nov 1998, and 110 at Gering Cemetery, Scotts Bluff Co 13 Oct 2023. In the east, 52 at Fontenelle Park, Douglas Co 30 Oct 2023.
  • 495 were banded at Wildcat Hills NC, Scotts Bluff Co 26 Aug-9 Oct 2020.

Winter: Pine Siskins winter statewide in varying numbers from year to year; winter 2012-2013 saw larger numbers than usual, with about 1040 reported statewide, and 552 counted on the Branched Oak Lake-Seward CBC 16 Dec and 196 on the Scottsbluff CBC 15 Dec.

Winter (Dec-Feb) of 2019-2020 had about 980 siskins and 2023-2024 about 2386, but in 2020-2021 there were an amazing 4015 siskins tallied.

CBC data since 1940 show the highest totals as 1193 birds in 2012-2013, 958 in 2007-2008, and 950 in 1987-1988. For the years 1940-2015, all but seven years yielded birds per party-hour <2.25; the peak years were 1945-1946 at 2.94, 1946-1947 at 3.48, 1960-1961 at 3.36, 1973-1974 at 3.58, 1987-1988 at 3.71, highest on record, 2007-2008 at 2.46, and 2012-2013 at 2.55.

• • High counts (non-CBC): 405 at Wildcat Hills NC, Scotts Bluff Co 3 Mar 2021, 320 there 20 Jan 2022, 300 in Keith Co 8 Jan 1982 (Rosche 1994), and 315 at Wildcat Hills NC, Scotts Bluff Co 3 Mar 2022.

Images

Abbreviations

CBC: Christmas Bird Count
NC: Nature Center
NNF: Nebraska National Forest
SP: State Park
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum

Acknowledgement

Photograph (top) of a Pine Siskin at Neale Woods, Douglas Co 25 Feb 2009 by Phil Swanson.

Literature Cited

Bray, T.E. 1994. Habitat utilization by birds in a man-made forest in the Nebraska Sandhills. Master’s thesis, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Brown, C.R., M.B. Brown, P.A. Johnsgard, J. Kren, and W.C. Scharf. 1996. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station area, Keith and Garden Counties, Nebraska: Seasonal occurrence and breeding data. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 23: 91-108.

Bruner, L., R.H. Wolcott, and M.H. Swenk. 1904. A preliminary review of the birds of Nebraska, with synopses. Klopp and Bartlett, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Chesser, T., R.C. Banks, F.K. Barker, C. Cicero, J.L. Dunn, A.W. Kratter, I.J. Lovette, P.C. Rasmussen, J.V. Remsen, Jr., J.D. Rising, D.F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2009. Fiftieth Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-List of North American Birds. Auk 126: 705-714. https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2009.8709.

Dawson, W.R. 2020. Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.pinsis.01.

Ducey, J.E. 1988. Nebraska birds, breeding status and distribution. Simmons-Boardman Books, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Faulkner, D.W. 2010. Birds of Wyoming. Roberts and Company, Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA.

Ford, N.L. 1959. Notes on summer birds of western Nebraska. NBR 27: 6-12.

Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2.  http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.

Green, R. 1998. Bird banding notes from Ruth Green. NBR 66: 159-160.

Johnsgard, P. A. 1980. A preliminary list of the birds of Nebraska and adjacent Great Plains states. Published by the author, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.

Mollhoff, W.J. 2022. Nest records of Nebraska birds. Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Occasional Paper Number 9.

Perry, A.E. 1965. The nesting of the Pine Siskin in Nebraska. Wilson Bulletin 77: 243-250.

Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Columbidae to Ploceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California, USA.

Rapp, W.F. Jr., J.L.C. Rapp, H.E. Baumgarten, and R.A. Moser. 1958. Revised checklist of Nebraska birds. Occasional Papers 5, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Crete, Nebraska, USA.

Rosche, R.C. 1982. Birds of northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota, an annotated checklist. Cottonwood Press, Crawford, Nebraska, USA.

Rosche, R.C. 1994. Birds of the Lake McConaughy area and the North Platte River valley, Nebraska. Published by the author, Chadron, Nebraska, USA.

Scharf, W.C., J. Berigan, and J. Kren. 1993. Pine Siskins in breeding condition along the North Platte River, Keith County, Nebraska. NBR 61: 144-145.

Schock, A.J. 1983. Pine Siskin nests at Wayne State College. NBR 51: 89.

Swenk, M.H. 1929. The Pine Siskin in Nebraska: its seasonal abundance and nesting. Wilson Bulletin 41: 77-92.

Tallman, D.A., Swanson, D.L., and J.S. Palmer. 2002. Birds of South Dakota. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA.

Recommended Citation

Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org

Birds of Nebraska – Online

Updated 15 Mar 2024