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. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]