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Eurasian siskin
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Eurasian siskin
The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Eurosiberia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.
It can be distinguished from similar finches by its plumage colour. Its upperparts are greyish green and its underparts are grey-streaked white. Its wings are black with a striking yellow wing bar and its tail is black with yellow sides. The male has a predominantly yellow face and breast with a neat black cap. The female and young birds have a greyish-green head and no cap. It is a trusting, sociable and active bird. Its song is a pleasant mix of tweets and trills.
These birds exhibit an unusual migration pattern, migrating southwards in large numbers every few years in winter. The reasons for this behaviour are not known, but they may be related to climatic factors and, above all, the availability of food. This enables overwintering populations to thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder and often hangs upside down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.
The siskin was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Fringilla spinus, in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae. In 1760, Brisson described the genus Carduelis, where this species was then placed. However, recent taxonomic studies suggest placing it in the genus Spinus.
The scientific name Spinus is from the Ancient Greek spinos, a name for a now-unidentifiable bird.
Although it is found across a wide area, it is a monotypic species; that is to say, there are no distinct subspecies. This could be explained by several factors. For example, there is spatial variability in individuals within breeding areas from one year to the next. The large overwintering area supports constant genetic interchange. Furthermore, females produce several clutches of eggs in one breeding season, each in a different location.
The name siskin is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words sisschen, zeischen, which are diminutive forms of Middle High German (zîsec) and Middle Low German (ziseke, sisek) words, with cognates in Slavic languages, such as Czech čížek; these names are all of onomatopoeic origin, derived from the bird's calls. The name is first recorded in written English in 1544 in William Turner's Avium praecipuarum, quarum apud Plinium et Aristotelem mentio est, brevis et succincta historia.
The siskin is a small, short-tailed bird, 11–12.5 centimetres (4.3–4.9 in) in length with a wingspan that ranges from 20 to 23 centimetres (7.9 to 9.1 in). It weighs between 12 and 18 grams (0.42 and 0.63 oz).
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Eurasian siskin
The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Eurosiberia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.
It can be distinguished from similar finches by its plumage colour. Its upperparts are greyish green and its underparts are grey-streaked white. Its wings are black with a striking yellow wing bar and its tail is black with yellow sides. The male has a predominantly yellow face and breast with a neat black cap. The female and young birds have a greyish-green head and no cap. It is a trusting, sociable and active bird. Its song is a pleasant mix of tweets and trills.
These birds exhibit an unusual migration pattern, migrating southwards in large numbers every few years in winter. The reasons for this behaviour are not known, but they may be related to climatic factors and, above all, the availability of food. This enables overwintering populations to thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder and often hangs upside down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.
The siskin was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Fringilla spinus, in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae. In 1760, Brisson described the genus Carduelis, where this species was then placed. However, recent taxonomic studies suggest placing it in the genus Spinus.
The scientific name Spinus is from the Ancient Greek spinos, a name for a now-unidentifiable bird.
Although it is found across a wide area, it is a monotypic species; that is to say, there are no distinct subspecies. This could be explained by several factors. For example, there is spatial variability in individuals within breeding areas from one year to the next. The large overwintering area supports constant genetic interchange. Furthermore, females produce several clutches of eggs in one breeding season, each in a different location.
The name siskin is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words sisschen, zeischen, which are diminutive forms of Middle High German (zîsec) and Middle Low German (ziseke, sisek) words, with cognates in Slavic languages, such as Czech čížek; these names are all of onomatopoeic origin, derived from the bird's calls. The name is first recorded in written English in 1544 in William Turner's Avium praecipuarum, quarum apud Plinium et Aristotelem mentio est, brevis et succincta historia.
The siskin is a small, short-tailed bird, 11–12.5 centimetres (4.3–4.9 in) in length with a wingspan that ranges from 20 to 23 centimetres (7.9 to 9.1 in). It weighs between 12 and 18 grams (0.42 and 0.63 oz).
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