Pine Siskins are small, streaky brown finches that inhabit coniferous forests across North America. They are migratory birds, breeding primarily in Canada and the western United States, and wintering farther south in the southern United States and Mexico. Their winter range extends as far north as Washington and sometimes southern British Columbia on the West Coast, and as far north as Massachusetts and southern Ontario in the East. But where exactly do Pine Siskins go each winter? Let’s take a closer look at their migration patterns and wintering grounds.
Breeding Range
Pine Siskins breed primarily in coniferous forests across Canada and the western United States. Their breeding range extends from Alaska across northern Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland. It stretches south throughout the western mountains, including the Cascades, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. Pine Siskins are found breeding in open coniferous forests, especially those dominated by spruce, fir, and pine trees. They often nest in evergreens like Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and Engelmann spruce.
Key breeding areas include:
- Alaska
- Yukon and Northwest Territories
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan and Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec and Labrador
- Pacific Northwest and Cascades
- Rocky Mountains
- Sierra Nevada Mountains
During the summer breeding season, Pine Siskins can be found nesting and raising young across their northern and western breeding range before migrating south for the winter.
Wintering Range
In winter, Pine Siskins migrate from their breeding grounds to wintering areas that are largely separate from their summer range. They winter primarily in the southern United States and Mexico.
Their winter range includes:
- Southern California
- American Southwest
- Texas
- Gulf Coast
- Southeastern United States
- Mexico
Some Pine Siskins may remain farther north along the Pacific Coast, scattered across Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia. On the East Coast, some wintering birds may reach as far north as Massachusetts and southern Ontario. But the highest winter densities are found across the southern United States and Mexico.
Pine Siskins rarely winter in the same coniferous forest habitats where they breed. Instead, they move to lower elevations and often winter in more open habitats. This includes weedy fields, thickets, suburban backyards, and open pine-oak woodlands. They often congregate at bird feeders during winter months.
West Coast
On the West Coast, Pine Siskins winter throughout California, mainly south of a line from San Francisco to Bakersfield. They are common in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and open woodlands, as well as suburbs and backyard feeders. Some siskins may remain along the Pacific Coast into Oregon, Washington, and southern British Columbia. But winter populations decline sharply north of Mendocino County in California.
Southwest
Across the Southwest, Pine Siskins winter throughout Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas. They frequent pinyon-juniper woodlands, oak savannas, chaparral, and mountain mahogany scrublands. Backyard feeders often attract wintering flocks.
Southeast
In the Southeast, siskins winter from eastern Texas and Oklahoma east to Florida and north to Tennessee and North Carolina. Look for them in open pine woods, scrubby thickets, overgrown fields, and suburbs. Feeders are popular gathering spots.
Mexico
Pine Siskins winter across Mexico, from the northwest border south along both the Pacific and Gulf slopes to Oaxaca and Veracruz. They frequent pine-oak forests, subtropical scrub, shade coffee plantations, and villages. Some birds may continue south to the highlands of Guatemala.
Migration Routes
In fall, Pine Siskins migrate south on a broad front across North America to reach their wintering grounds. In spring, they fan out and return to breeding areas across Canada and the western states. Siskins are nomadic and highly irruptive in migration, with winter flocks shifting locations in search of food.
Major fall migration corridors include:
- West Coast – From British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest south along the coast to California.
- Intermountain West – From the Rocky Mountains southwest to the desert Southwest.
- Central Flyway – From the Prairie Provinces diagonally southeast through the Great Plains to Texas and Mexico.
- Mississippi Flyway – From boreal forests south along the Mississippi River Valley.
- Atlantic Coast – From Maritime Canada and New England southwest to the Gulf and southeastern states.
Spring migration brings siskins north and west along the same general routes back to breeding areas. But migration timing, routes, and population distribution varies significantly from year to year.
Winter Diet
Pine Siskins rely on different food sources in winter than they do while breeding. Their winter diet consists mainly of seeds, including:
- Conifer seeds – from pines, spruces, firs, hemlocks, cypress
- Alder and birch seeds
- Grass and weed seeds
- Seeds from maples, sumac, sweetgum
- Backyard bird feeders – nyger, black oil sunflower seeds
Siskins use their sharply pointed bills to extract seeds from cones and feeders. Flocks wander nomadically in search of variable food supplies. When cone crops fail, they may irrupt south in search of more plentiful food sources.
Threats and Conservation
Pine Siskins face a number of threats on their wintering grounds, including:
- Habitat loss due to development, logging, and conversion to agriculture
- Climate change altering habitat and food sources
- Collisions with buildings and vehicles
- Predation from cats, birds of prey
- Disease outbreaks such as salmonellosis
Conservation measures to help protect wintering Pine Siskins include:
- Protecting areas of native pine-oak forest and scrub habitat
- Promoting sustainable forestry practices
- Keeping cats indoors
- Reducing building collisions through bird-friendly architecture
- Providing clean bird feeders to supplement food sources
- Monitoring and controlling disease outbreaks
With a combination of habitat conservation and management, we can help ensure Pine Siskins have adequate wintering areas far into the future.
Conclusion
In summary, Pine Siskins migrate from breeding ranges in Canada and the western U.S. to winter primarily in the southern U.S. and Mexico. Major wintering areas include California, the Southwest, southeastern states, and Mexico. Siskins frequent open pine-oak habitats and scrublands in winter, often congregating at bird feeders. Maintaining healthy wintering habitats will be key for the continued conservation of these social, nomadic finches. Protecting areas of native forest and scrubland, while also providing supplementary winter food sources, can help ensure Pine Siskins have the resources they need to survive until spring migration.