Siskin WESTERN BIRDS 



ance which belies his actions, for he is gentle and modest. 

 The female is demureness itself in her quaker garb, being 

 duller than the male and lacking the black head gear. 

 The young resemble the female, but are duller and have 

 the lower parts indistinctly streaked. 



This Finch is found mostly on the mesas and moun- 

 tain canyons, as well as in the pine forests below 6,000 

 feet. Throughout the winter months they may be seen 

 in small flocks in not too thickly settled communities, 

 where they gather the seeds unmindful of inspection. 

 They are by no means as abundant as one might wish 

 them. 



GENUS SPINUS : PINE SISKIN. 



Pine Siskin: Spinus pinus. 

 FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Another small member of the Finch Family is the 

 Pine Siskin, a bird which in many ways resembles the 

 Goldfinches. But as the name would indicate, they are 

 fond of the evergreen trees which grow in high altitudes. 

 One is relieved to find that one species does for this 

 bird wherever found, whether in the forests of the north- 

 eastern United States or the mountains of the West. 

 We are so accustomed to several subspecies, that this 

 oversight on Nature's part (or man's) is surely a relief. 



The Siskins are much striped little birds, being brown- 

 ish above, and white below, streaked with olive brown. 

 But the thing that distinguishes them and saves them 

 from oblivion, is the yellow patches on wings and tail 

 which show plainly in flight. 



They are gregarious, especially during! the winter 

 months, when they may be seen in almost any part of 

 the country banded together in solid flocks and foraging 



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