Photo: Cephas / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pine Siskin
Spinus pinus
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 12.7 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 pinus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look nearly alike: both are small, brown, and heavily streaked all over with yellow edging in the wings and tail; males average brighter and more extensive yellow (especially at the base of the flight feathers and on the lower wingbar), but only about a third of birds can be reliably sexed, so many cannot be told apart.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles resemble adults but are washed buffy/yellowish overall with buff (rather than yellow) wingbars and heavy streaking; this fades by fall of their first year.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pine 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 Pine Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA Canada to Guatemala.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.2 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pine Siskin?
The Pine Siskin is a very small bird that weighs around 12.7 g.
Where does the Pine Siskin live?
The Pine Siskin is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA Canada to Guatemala, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Pine Siskin belong to?
The Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pine Siskin eat?
The Pine Siskin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Pine Siskin migrate?
The Pine Siskin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pine 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 Pine Siskin make?
1 real field recording of the Pine Siskin — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pine Siskin's range?
The Pine Siskin has a mapped global range of about 7.8 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.
Explore more birds
More in Fringillidae
Not Evaluated
Extinct
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Not Evaluated
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
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.
How to Attract Pine Siskin to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Pine Siskin to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (nyjer), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.
American Goldfinch vs Pine Siskin: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a American Goldfinch from a Pine Siskin — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.