Purple Finch | nichepoetryandprose

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Posts Tagged ‘Purple Finch’

at the bird feeder #7 – Pine Siskin

After our heavy snow last week, the birds were all looking for perches and easy feeding. A few Chickadees and Pine Siskins were at the feeders early. Pine Siskins (Carduelis pinus) are fidgety little birds, staying at the feeder to get their fill, but ever vigilant and looking over their shoulders. They are heavily striped, sometimes with yellow bars on their wing feathers. They also have sharp beaks.

Because the Pine Siskins are striped, I confused them at first with female Purple Finches. The female Purple Finch is also striped, but is a slightly bigger, chunkier bird. Its beak is large and wedge-shaped, and it has no yellow coloration.

Pine Siskin at the feeder

female Purple Finch - wedge-shaped beak and stripes around eye (a male Purple Finch at left)

two Pine Siskins at feeder - sharp beaks and yellow wing bars

© Jane Tims 2012

Written by jane tims

March 9, 2012 at 6:54 am

Posted in strategies for winter, wild life

Tagged with art, bird feeder, bird watching, birds, nature, pencil drawing, Pine Siskin, plants and animals, Purple Finch

at the bird feeder #6 – Purple Finch

with 17 comments

On Thursday, we had a Hairy Woodpecker and a large flock of male and female Purple Finches at the bird feeder. The Peterson Field Guide describes the Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) as ‘… a Sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.’ I can’t improve on that description! The other particularly noticeable feature is its large sturdy beak. My husband took a few photos since I was not home, just enough to give me one to draw.

I miss most of the feeder birds since I leave in the early light and come home after dark. Nevertheless, the Chickadees and Goldfinches are usually there to see me off. We have one Chickadee who always has his ‘hair’ ruffed up, like a rock star with a ‘do’.