Diet
What do pine siskins eat?
Conifer, alder and birch seeds.
Finches (Fringillidae)Pine SiskinSpinus pinus
Spring and summer diet
- Seeds and some insects
Fall and winter diet
- Spruce, birch and alder seed
Best feeder foods
- Nyjer
- Hulled sunflower
Siskins are prone to salmonella outbreaks at crowded feeders — clean tube feeders weekly during irruptions.
Where pine siskins need winter food
Regions where pine siskins are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do pine siskins eat?
Conifer, alder and birch seeds.
What is the best food to feed pine siskins?
Nyjer, Hulled sunflower.
What do pine siskins eat in winter?
Spruce, birch and alder seed.
Sources
- Pine Siskin — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Siskin life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Siskin — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.