How to Attract Pine Siskins
Pine siskins are small, streaky brown finches with flashes of yellow in the wings and tail. They're famous for showing up in big flocks some winters and hardly at all in others, following the seed crops of northern trees.
What pine siskins eat
Nyjer and sunflower hearts are their favorites. A finch feeder lets a whole flock eat at once.
The tiny black seed that goldfinches go crazy for. Use it in a finch feeder with small ports.
Check price on Amazon for Wagner's Nyjer Seed (opens Amazon)Built for tiny Nyjer seed and the goldfinches that love it, with the same squirrel-stopping shroud as the rest of the line.
Check price on Amazon for Brome Squirrel Buster Nyjer Feeder (opens Amazon)Keep feeders clean
Siskins crowd together at feeders and can spread salmonella. Clean feeders every week when siskins are visiting, and take them down for a week if you see a sick or lethargic bird.
Watch for invasion years
In years when northern seed crops fail, siskins move far south in large numbers. Keep a finch feeder ready from fall on.
Frequently asked questions
Why do pine siskins come some years and not others?
They follow cone and seed crops. When northern crops are poor, they move south in large numbers.
How do I tell a pine siskin from a goldfinch?
Siskins are brown and heavily streaked, with yellow only in the wings and tail. Winter goldfinches are plain, without streaks.
Do pine siskins get sick at feeders?
They're prone to salmonella. Weekly cleaning helps keep them healthy.
Not sure which feeder fits your yard?
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