When you first see a Pine Siskin, you might mistake this brown bird for a sparrow. However, the slightly smaller size and smaller bill are good clues to its true identity. So is its choice of companions, and its habits. Those winters when the Pine Siskins are present in small numbers, they are often seen travelling with American Goldfinches and/or Common Redpolls. If they are in flocks by themselves, note their numerous and frequent buzzy call notes and their tendency to bicker. At feeders, they often spend more time squabbling with each other than they actually spend feeding.

If you look carefully at a Pine Siskin, you may see two yellow wing bars, these wing bars are most prominent in flight or during the spring, at other times they can be very hard to see. Like all our winter finches, Pine Siskin numbers vary greatly from year to year. Their winter pattern starts to become evident in late December at the same time that the Christmas Bird Counts are conducted. Taking part in a Christmas count, or talking to somebody who has, is a great way to find out how common Pine Siskins (or any finches) are in any one particular winter. Pine Siskins can be seen all over North America, including parts of Mexico, so you may even want to go onto the Internet to find out where the greatest concentrations are at the moment. When their numbers are down in one part of the continent, they are likely up in another. Finding out where they are can tell you how likely you will be to see them in your yard this winter.

Pine Siskins are attracted to yards that have cone-bearing birch, alder, or spruce trees as well as those that place out feeders for the birds. Like most finches, Siskins enjoy sunflower seeds. However, if you wish to have a really happy flock, supply them with Niger seed in a special feeder. Niger is more expensive than other seeds, so there are tube feeders designed to allow access only to small-billed birds.

Once Pine Siskins feel safe in your yard they are even tamer than Black-capped Chickadees. Whole flocks of these birds will readily line up on your hands and arms to feed and will generally stay until you either run out of food or your arms become too tired to hold them any longer. As with any friendly bird, do not take advantage of their good nature by trying to grab hold of them or they can quickly become aggressive - flapping wings rapidly, pecking and squawking loudly - and will not trust you again in the future.