GROSBEAKS, FINCHES, SPARROWS: Family Fringillidae [545] 



Shelton (1917) listed it as a rare visitor to Lane County. Neither of us 

 took any Oregon specimens until January 2.6, 1933, when Jewett was 

 fortunate enough to encounter a considerable flock at Wallowa, Wallowa 

 County. 



The Redpolls resemble wintering goldfinches and pine siskins in habits, 

 notes, and general outline so much that they can easily be overlooked 

 except at close range. Observers in eastern Oregon are apt to find this 

 northerner during the winter months about willow patches or isolated 

 trees and bushes on the hillsides. 



Northern Pine Siskin: 



Spmus pinus pinus (Wilson) 



DESCRIPTION. "Similar to Astragalinus [goldfinch], but plumage streaked gray and 

 brown, without yellow or black except for yellow patches on wings and tail. 

 Adults: whole body finely streaked with brown, on brownish ground above, on 

 whitish below; basal portions of secondaries and tail feathers sulphur yellow. Young: 

 upper parts mustard yellow, tinged with brownish olive, feathers streaked, except 

 on belly; wing bands and patches brown. Male: length (skins) 4.10-4.85, wing 

 1.71-3.00, tail 1.57-1.83, bill .38-. 44. Female: length (skins) 4.13-5.14, wing 

 1.63-1.97, tail 1.60-1.81, bill .39-. 47." (Bailey) Nest: A slight platform of twigs 

 and plant fibers, lined with rootlets and hair. Eggs: 3 or 4, pale greenish blue, 

 speckled with brown and black, largely around the large end. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from Alaska, Mackenzie, Manitoba, and Quebec 

 south through mountains to southern California and southern New Mexico and to 

 Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, Maine, and in eastern mountains to North 

 Carolina. Winters over most of United States. In Oregon: Common permanent 

 resident of timbered parts. Likely to appear in any locality in winter and spring. 



THE NORTHERN PINE SISKIN, a tiny finch with brown-streaked plumage 

 tinted here and there with yellow, is a familiar sight in the wooded 

 sections of the State where it is found as a common permanent resident. 

 Like many other finches that frequent the coniferous forests, it is some- 

 what erratic in that it appears in immense numbers in some seasons and 

 is entirely absent or greatly restricted in the same community in subse- 

 quent seasons. It can be found, however, in limited numbers generally 

 throughout the State in the wooded areas and is likely to appear in any 

 small planting of trees, even in the sagebrush section in winter or early 

 spring when its wandering movements are at their height. 



Both the call note and the flight behavior of the Pine Siskins are rem- 

 iniscent of the goldfinches. In addition to their high-pitched alarm note 

 or flight note, they have a peculiar wheezing note that is given both as 

 they take wing and as they travel through the air. The flocks of gold- 

 finches are usually larger, and the Pine Siskins mingle with them and 

 leave the coniferous timber to feed in the weed patches with their brighter 

 cousins. 



