Siskin

Conifer and alder specialists

Siskins feed acrobatically in the hanging tips of alder and birch catkins in winter, and in spruce cones in summer. They hang upside down, cling to swaying outer branches, and extract seeds with their pointed bills — more like a tit than a typical finch in their foraging agility. Winter flocks move through riverside alders and mixed woodland, sometimes numbering hundreds.

Garden feeders

Siskins were traditionally woodland birds that rarely visited gardens. From the 1960s onwards, as nyjer (thistle) seed feeders became popular, they discovered this concentrated food source and began visiting gardens widely. They are now regular winter garden birds across Britain, easily attracted by red mesh nyjer seed feeders hung in or near trees.

Male plumage

The male siskin is a bright, greenish-yellow bird with black streaking on the crown and flanks, black wings with yellow wing bars, and yellow rump and tail sides. The female is greener and more streaked without the black cap. In a winter flock, the bright males stand out clearly even at distance.

Population fluctuations

Siskin numbers in Britain fluctuate considerably between years. In years when Norwegian and Swedish spruce and birch seed crops fail, large numbers irrupt westward to Britain, swelling the wintering population dramatically. British siskin numbers have grown significantly since commercial conifer plantations expanded from the mid-20th century.