The last several days I have had a flock of 10-30 Pine Siskins at my
feeders. Makes this colder weather worth it.
Manon VanSchoyck
Ohio Nature Education
www.ohionature.org
Licking County
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Whan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2008 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Pine Siskins Richland County
> First of all, I advise readers to heed the premonitions of Roger
> Troutman, the dean of Ohio CBC recorders. There will be more siskins,
> and we will probably notice nesting next spring.
> As far as I know--not all that far--females can vary so much from
> males
> as to show no yellow in the plumage at rest. Sibley shows the extreme of
> this variation. I believe females retain reduced yellow in the spread
> wings either way, though. And birds of the year closely resemble adults
> at this time of year, as near as I can tell from references.*
> Folks who host siskins at their feeders may want to read the
> charming
> accounts in A. C. Bent's account, where siskins are described accepting
> invitations to eat and roost inside houses, etc.: see
> http://www.birdzilla.com/omnibus.asp?strType=Bent&strTitle=Pine+Siskin&strURL=pine_siskin.html
> Bill Whan
> Columbus
> * I attach an article on siskin molt, but probably only Roger will get
> the hot link: it's elibrary.unm.edu/sora/JFO/v047n04/p0306-p0309.pdf
>
>
> Roger Troutman wrote:
>
> > Hello all,
> >
> > This a.m., I observed for the first time this season, a single Pine
> Siskin
> > at my thistle feeder - in company with my "resident" dozen or so
> > goldfinches. In and of itself this is not an unexpected observation -
> Gary
> > Cowell observed them at Wayne's Market yesterday, this place being
> only 2.5
> > air miles from me.
> >
> > However what was unusual was the plumage of this individual. The
> plumage of
> > this bird was very crisp, clean and fresh-looking without a hint of
> yellow
> > anywhere (I observed it at less than 10 feet for several minutes with 7x
> > binoculars, albeit through a double pane picture window ). It was not
> at all
> > "dingy" with the accompanying dull yellows.
> >
> > My question is: Does this reasonably close relative of the Am. Goldfinch
> > ever undergo a complete post-breeding molt, as its sister species,
> with the
> > complete or near complete loss of its yellow color. Or was this a late
> > season young-of-the-year that had yet to develop a "breeding plumage".
> > Comments or observations?
> >
> > As to the abundance of siskins this year, we are overdue for a big year.
> > Current indications are that the pump is being primed for such a year
> > for
> > our CBC record. This species (per the CBC record) undergoes an almost
> > predictable two year cycle (an up year followed by a down year
> followed by
> > an up year). The last high peak was 1989 when almost 1,800 birds were
> > recorded statewide. The average statewide count since 1992 (15 years
> ago) is
> > 213 birds with peak year being 599 birds in 2001.
>
>
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