Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinus
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 13.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Spinus
- Species spinus
Where it lives
Subarctic to montane low temperate Palearctic forest and woods: British Isles, northern Scandinavia through Russia, north-central Kazakhstan and north-central Mongolia to Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (eastern Russia), Hokkaido, northern Honshu (northern Japan), northern Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang (northeastern China) south to montane central Iberian Pen., Corsica, Italy, Greece, Balkans, northern Turkey, Caucasus and northern Iran
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Eurasian Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Eurasian Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Subarctic to montane low temperate Palearctic forest and woods: British Isles, n Scandinavia through Russia, nc Kazakhstan and nc Mongolia to Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (e Russia), Hokkaido, n Honshu (n Japan), n Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang (ne China) s to montane c Iberian Pen., Corsica, Italy, Greece, Balkans, n Turkey, Caucasus and n Iran.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.2 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eurasian Siskin?
The Eurasian Siskin is a very small bird that weighs around 13.2 g.
Where does the Eurasian Siskin live?
The Eurasian Siskin is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Subarctic to montane low temperate Palearctic forest and woods: British Isles, n Scandinavia through Russia, nc Kazakhstan and nc Mongolia to Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (e Russia), Hokkaido, n Honshu (n Japan), n Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang (ne China) s to montane c Iberian Pen., Corsica, Italy, Greece, Balkans, n Turkey, Caucasus and n Iran, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Eurasian Siskin belong to?
The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Eurasian Siskin eat?
The Eurasian Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Eurasian Siskin migrate?
The Eurasian Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Eurasian Siskin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Eurasian Siskin make?
1 real field recording of the Eurasian Siskin — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eurasian Siskin's range?
The Eurasian Siskin has a mapped global range of about 9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.