Finches & Allies

Cassin's Finch

Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii)

Cassin’s Finch is about 6.25 in (16 cm) tall and have a wingspan of 11.5 in (29 cm). The males have a bright red crown and a rosy-pink chest, with dark streaks on its back. It also has a pale eye-ring. These birds live in coniferous forests up to 11,000 feet in elevation and they migrate to lower elevations in the winter. Their diet consists of mostly seeds but will occasionally eat insects.

Fun Fact: While this bird prefers higher elevations, occasionally these birds will migrate to the plains of Nebraska before traveling to New Mexico or Arizona.

 

Pine Siskin

Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)

The Pine Siskin is around 4-5 inches tall (11-13 cm). This bird is brown with heavy black or dark brown streaking. The edges of the wings and tails are yellow as is best seen when this bird is flying. The Pine Siskin prefers coniferous habitats but will also live on the edges of forests and weedy fields. Its diet consists of seeds and insects such as caterpillars and aphids.

Fun Facts: To find its food, the Pine Siskin will sometimes hang itself upside-down to reach seeds.References

 

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

The Red Crossbill is a medium-sized songbird with an unusual twisted bill that crosses when closed. The brightly colored male is a brick red while females are mostly yellowish below and more of a brownish or olive above. You can generally find them foraging in flocks while moving in unison from tree to tree or gathering seed on the ground in the morning. Mostly found in the mature coniferous forests of mountains but may appear in forests or towns far to the south and east.

Fun facts: The crossbill's unusual bill shape helps it get into tightly closed cones. It will place the tips of its slightly open bill under a cone scale and bite down causing the crossed tips of the bill to push the scale up, exposing the seed inside. It is so dependent upon conifer seeds that it even feeds them to their young. This means that it can breed anytime it finds a significant amount of cones, even in the middle of winter.