Eurasian Siskins in North America Distinguishing Females from Green

Home , Eurasian siskin, Hawfinch, Hooded siskin, Pine siskin, Spinus (bird)

Reprinted from: American Birds, Winter 1989, Volume 43, Number 5 Printed in U.S. A.

Eurasian Siskins in North America distinguishing females from green-morph Pine Siskins

Ian A. McLaren, Joseph Morlan, P. William Smith, Michel Gosselin, and Stephen F. Bailey Figure 1. Dorsal view of the green-morph Pine Siskin in Halifax, Nova Scotia. early April 1986. Photo/!. McLaren.

N MARCH 26,1986, AN UNUSUAL were clearly Pine Siskins in other at- suggested that it was probably a Pine siskin turned up at McLaren's tributes, and they were not widely re- Siskin because of its bright yellow un- O feeder in Halifax, Nova Scotia. ported. The original Halifax bird dertail coverts, a feature lacking in It was dark grayish-green on the back, (Figs. 1, 2) required more research Eurasian Siskins (With~rby et at. with strong yellow wing and tail before finally being identified as an 1943). The photographs show that the patches, a greenish-yellow rump, and example of the little-known green bird was definitely a green-morph tinged with yellow on the head and morph of the Pine Siskin. Pine Siskin, based on this and other underparts. Furthermore, it appeared Meanwhile, in late February 1987 characters discussed below. smaller and its bill seemed deeper an unusual siskin flew into a window Our purpose~ in writing this ac- than average among scores of Pine ofe. J. Ralph's house in Arcata, Cal- count are to review available infor- Siskins (Carduelis pinus) coming to ifornia. The bird was stunned briefly, mation on claimed occurrences of the the feeder. The local birding commu- but recovered. Ralph noticed its un- Eurasian Siskin in North America and nity was quickly alerted to a possible usual plumage, but did not consider evaluate the plausibility of natural va- female Eurasian Siskin (c. spinus). that it might be a Eurasian Siskin until grancy, to describe and analyze the Until April 28, it was studied closely Dave DeSante saw the bird along with green morph of the Pine Siskin, and by many people, including some fa- another green individual several days to compare field marks of this morph miliar with Eurasian Siskins in Eu- later. Both were then seen by several with those of the female Eurasian Sis- rope, and all seemed content with this interested people, none of whom kin, so that other observers will not initial identification. Its plausibility could recall seeing a Pine Siskin in be misled in future. seemed reinforced by news of an un- such bright plumage. One bird was usually large irruption of the species then trapped, measured arid photo- Occurrences of Eurasian Siskins in into Great Britain that winter (see be- graphed by Ralph (Fig. 3, 4), and re- North America low). leased. These birds generated much There are definite records of Eura- During its stay, three other greenish interest among California birders and sian Siskins in North America (e.g., siskins appeared at feeders in Nova one of them was seen by Bailey and Fig. 5); only their natural occurrence Scotia-two in Halifax and one in Morlan on March 1, 1987. It became is in doubt (American Ornithologists' Yarmouth. However, photographs clear that the literature was inade- Union 1983). Ridgway (1901) states seen by McLaren show that the bird quate for certain identification of the that "although introduced, with other from Yarmouth and one from Halifax bird, although Morlan et at. (1987) European birds, into Oregon, there is

1268 American Birds, Winter 1989 no record to the effect that this species has become naturalized," and the A.O.U. Check-list (A.O.U. 1983) also mentions its unsuccessful introduc- tion in Ohio. Tables 1 and 2 summa- rize all published North American reports known to us of Eurasian Siskins, excluding the two unsuccessful intro- ductions. We are also aware of some other unpublished sightings of pur- ported females; we regard these as un- satisfactory . Data available on the legal impor- tation of birds into the United States compiled by Smith (Table 3) include moderate numbers of this species and other siskins compared with some other cagebirds. Thus, any or all the Eurasian Siskins in North America could have escaped from captivity. This is also true of other species such as the rarely imported Brambling (Ta- ble 3), whose acceptance as a genuine vagrant is based on its pattern of occurrence in areas remote from proba- ble release of cagebirds. Of all the records, perhaps the sightings in Alaska and Newfoundland (Table 2) and the photograph from St. Pierre (Table 1) are geographically most suggestive of wild vagrants. Figure 2. Ventral view of the green-marph Pine Siskin in Halifax, Nova Scotia, early April Note that all but one confirmed 1986. Note the extensively deep-yellow tail patches and yellowish on undertail coverts. Eurasian Siskins and the three uncon- Photo/!. McLaren. firmed sightings of males are from the northeast coast or the Aleutians. Some of these reports come from densely populated areas where escaped cagebirds are more likely, but al~o where more birding is done. In- land reports, in contrast, all involve claimed females, and from details available to us we believe that most if not all of these were green-morph Pine Siskins (see below). This lack of confirmed Eurasian Siskins inland, where escaped cagebirds should be just as frequent as along the coast, strongly suggests a pattern of vagrancy from Europe and Asia. There are other reasons why Eura- sian Siskins might arrive naturally in North America. The species breeds discontinuously over the boreal zone of the Palearctic west to Scotland, where it has increased markedly since 1950 due to afforestation (Thorn 1986). It has also nested in Ireland since the late 19th century and in southern England since the 1950s Figure 3. Dorsal view of the green-morph Pine Siskin captured in Arcata, CA, in late (Sharrock 1976). Banding recoveries February 1987. Note the whitish fringes of the lesser and greater wing coverts, the latter show that birds from Scandinavia and underlain by extensive deep yellow of the bases offlightfeathers. Photo/Co J. Ralph. the mountains of central and eastern Europe often irrupt westward to

Volume 43, Number 5 1269 In the Faroe Islands there were seven records through 1983, all in Mayor in September or October; it is thought to be more regular now than formerly (Bloch and S0rensen 1984).In Iceland -- there have been recent occurrences in spring and fall: over a dozen reports in the fall of 1980, mostly in early November (Petursson and Skarpheth- insson 1982); and subsequently two records in May 1982, one on October 15, 1983, and three in October 1984 (Petursson and Olafsson 1984, 1985, 1986). There are also reports from

, weather ships on station west of the

IsevenBritish individualsIsles and southon Octoberof Iceland:28, 1971, at 52°30'N, 20000'W (Tuck 1973), and one on October 30, 1975, at 57°00'N, 20000'W (Casement 1977). In conclusion, we believe that there is a good case for the natural arrival Figure 4. Ventral view of the green-morph Pine Siskin (right), together with two normally of some some or all confirmed Eura- plumaged individuals, captured at Arcata, CA, in late February 1987. Note the extensively sian Siskins in North America, and yellow rectricesand undertail coverts of the green-morph bird. PhotojC. J. Ralph. for the transfer of the species from Appendix B of the A.O.V. Check-list coastal Europe and the British Isles in proven individual has ever been to the main list. fall (September to November), return- proved to nest closer than 120 kilo- ing in spring (March to May). A major meters to its original breeding site in influx occurred in England and Ire- a consecutive year, and one bird is The Green-Morph of the Pine Siskin land during winter 1985-1986 (Daw- known to have wintered at two loca- son and Allsopp 1986a; Dawson and tions 2000 kilometers apart (Newton There have been few comments on Allsopp 1986b). However, banding re- 1973). greenish Pine Siskins in the literature, coveries indicate that most of these Migrating or irrupting Eurasian Sis- generally in the context of discrimi- birds came from Scotland rather than kins can clearly make long flights over nating them from female Eurasian Scandinavia (R. Hudson, British water. At isolated locations such as Siskins. Ridgway (1901), possibly re- Trust for Ornithology, in lit.). As with Fair Isle, between the Shetlands and ferring to this greenish plumage, other irruptive species, banding data Orkneys, it occurs annually in both states: "I have not been able to dis- suggest that the Eurasian Siskin nei- spring and fall (Hollaway and Thome cover a single positive character ther breeds nor winters at the same 1981), with peaks as high as 235 on whereby the adult female and young location in successive years. In fact no September 20, 1984 (Riddiford 1984). [Eurasian Siskin] may be infallibly

Table 1. Records of Eurasian Siskin (all males) in North America confirmed by specimen or photograph (all of which have been personally inspected by Smith) Locality Dates Comments Kittery, ME March 24, 1962 Trapped at banding station and kept caged until November 1962; no evidence of prior captivity (Borror 1963). Specimen MCZ No. 262138. New Bedford, MA late March to at least At feeder. Generally ignored on presumption it April 3, 1969 was an escaped cagebird; see Johnson (1969); photos on file Massachusetts Audubon Soc. i Bloomfield, NJ February 11-27, 1983 At feeder. Published photo in Black (1983) now in NJ Rare Bird Photo File of NJ Audubon Society Rockport, MA May 5, 1983 At banding station. Copies of published photos by P. W. Smith (in Norris 1983)given to Massachusetts Audubon Soc. See also Nikula (1983). Reproduced here as Fig. 3. Petite Miquelon, St. Pierre et June 23, 1983 Photographed by Alain Debrosse (Debrosse St. Miquelon and Etcheberry, MS; see also Tingley 1983). Etobicoke, ONT February 6 into March, At feeder. Photo in Weir (1988), who com- 1988 mented "its origins remained in doubt."

1270 American Birds, Winter 1989 plumage characteristics of Pine Siskin 215 in the CAS are strongly dark when trying to identify European Sis- greenish (the AMNH specimens were kin." The only field guide reference to sampled differently). In addition, two the plumage seems to be that by Eck- among 120 in the BCPM and one of ert (in Farrand 1983), who notes that 160 Pine Siskins in the BMNH are some Pine Siskins "have little streak- quite greenish, although not so striking on the underparts, an obvious ingly so as the NMC, ROM, and MCZ greenish tinge above, and brighter and individuals. Thus it appears, to the more extensive wing and tail patches" extent that these collections are un- may "resemble Eurasian Siskins and biased, that only about one percent of can be misidentified." Pine Siskins might be classed as green Pine Siskins were examined by Gos- morphs. There appear to be no sea- selin at the National Museum of Can- sonal or geographical patterns in the ada in Ottawa (NMC), by McLaren at Figure 5. A male Eurasian Siskin captured incidence of this plumage. at the Norris banding station (Norris 1983) the Royal Ontario Museum in To- These greenish Pine Siskins look at Rockport,MA, May 5, 1983.Photo/Po ronto (ROM), the British Columbia like ordinary ones that have lost their W Smith. Provincial Museum in Victoria heavy brown streaks, revealing an un- distinguished from S. pinus". Blake (BCPM), the Museum of Compara- derlying pattern of gray and yellow (1976), writing on the sighting in 1973 tive Zoology in Cambridge, Massa- that blend into green hues overlaid by in Wisconsin (see Table 2), states: chusetts (MCZ), and the British Mu- a fainter remnant of the original "What is not apparently generally seum (Natural History) in Tring streaking. This may be interpreted as known is that, although the Pine Sis- (BMNH), and by Bailey at the Amer- an example of schizochroism, in kin usually has hen-feathered males, ican Museum of Natural History in which the phaeomelanin (brown) is once in a very long time it produces a New York (AMNH) and the Califor- reduced or absent while both eume- cock-feathered male." Such males, nia Academy of Sciences in San Fran- lanin (black) and carotenoids (yellow) which in terms of other siskin species cisco (CAS). The specimen trays hold are retained (Campbell and Lack

are more female-like, are here referred a striking diversity of plumages. How- 1985). _ to as green morphs, although the plu- ever, only five individuals of some 300 Male Pine Siskins distinguished by mage appears to be restricted to males. in the NMC, four of 330 in the ROM, Oberholser (1974) as a "gray phase" Ryan (1981) warns about "aberrant two of 400 in the MCZ and one of have the normal amount of yellowish

Table 2. Unconfirmed published reports of Eurasian Siskins in North America. All are sight records, with no photographic evidence known to us. Locality Dates Comments Cambridge, MA August, 1904 Male seen by William Brewster (1906) who thought that it had probably escaped, although it was wary and unworn. Holyoke, MA March 14-April 26, 1972 A feeder bird "thought to be a female" described briefly and inconclusively (Bird News Western Mass. 13: 30 [1972]). Kenosha, WI December 22, 1973 A female during a Christmas Count, well described by DeBenedictis and Fiehweg (1974); see also Janssen (1974). Large yellow tail flashes imply Pine Siskin. Buffalo, WI February 3-March 3, A poorly described female at feeder, first thought to 1974 be a Cape May Warbler (Maier and Maier 1974)! This report was followed by one of an aberrant Pine Sislcin(Woodcock 1974). Attu, AK June 4, 1978 A single-observer sighting of a male, well described by T. J. Savaloja (Kessel and Gibson, unpubl. records). Noted in Roberson 1980. Terra Nova N.P., New- February 13, 1980 A single-observer sighting of a male, well described foundland by Burrows (1980). Urbana,IL January 3 I-February 8, A "well described female" was listed as an "exotic" 1981 by PeteIjohn (1981), and the record is discussed further by PeteIjohn in Ryan along with reference to a bird in Toledo, that "lacked sustantiat- ing details." Verona, NJ March 11-16, 1983 Male reported without dates (Black 1983) and as- sumed by Boyle et al. (1983) to be the same individual confirmed at Bloomfield (see Table 1). From interviews, Smith believes this record unconfirmed. Halifax, N.S. March 26-April 28, 1986 Reported as having "exhibited field marks of a female Eurasian Sislcin"(Mactavish 1986), here identified as a Pine Sislcin.

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I Table 3. Eurasian Siskins and some other birds imported into the United States, problem of distinguishing female Eur- 1969-1974. Data from Banks (1970), Banks and Clapp (1972), Clapp (1975), Clapp asian Siskins from green-morph male and Banks (1973a, 1973b), and Greenhall (1977). Pine Siskins. Total Species Size. The Eurasian species averages imported smaller than the Pine Siskins, but not Eurasian species much. Weights of Pine Siskins European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) 4442 (Clench and Leberman 1978) and Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus)1 1695 Eurasian Siskins (Sellers 1986) are Eurasian Bullfinch (pyrrhula pyrrhula) 844 seasonally and diurnally variable and Eurasian Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) 398 Common Serin (Serinus serinus) 379 show much overlap. Wing lengths are Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) 272 often measured differently by Euro- Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) 190 pean (flattened wing) and North European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) 116 American authors (unflattened), so we Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) 24 measured unflattened wing chord (in Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) 20 millimeters) of the nine green-morph Neotropical species Pine Siskins in the NMC and ROM Hooded Siskin (Carduelis magellanica) 1142 Black-headed Siskin (Carduelis notata) 159 (mean 72.8, S.D. 1.79, range 70.0- Black Siskin (Carduelis atrata) 15 76.1) and the seven female Eurasian All species, all families2 3,737,636 Siskins from Europe in the ROM Psittacidae, Sturnidae, Ploceidae, Estrildidae only 2,910,162 (mean 68.9, S.D. 1.99, range 67.2-

I Some of these may be related species 72.5). it is clear that the two species 2 Excludes ca. 500,000 canaries not reported in 1968-1969 cannot be reliably discriminated by size. .and probably are not a throwback to pigment in the body plumage, and Bill size and shape. The Halifax an ancestral cock plumage of this spe- thus may have only a faintly greenish bird had a deep bill compared with cast (Fig. 6). Darker green individuals cies. It is perhaps significant, however, most Pine Siskins (cf Figs. 2 and 8). that bright cock plumages of some like the Halifax (Fig. 1) and Arcata Bill measurements by McLaren may (Fig. 4) birds seem to have an extra other carduelines do appear to de- be more comparable inter se than dose of carotenoids, and thus are xan- velop partly through "turning oW' the those from the literature. Five female thochroistic as well as schizochroistic. bold brown immature streaking (as in and seven male Eurasian Siskins from This is evident in the deep yellow of most Loxia. Carpodacus, and Car- Europe (others were broken or gaping) their wing and tail patches. The extent duelis). One Newfoundland specimen in the ROM were compared with six and intensity of the patches vary in- (MCZ 25615), however, is labeled as male and six female Pine Siskins cho- a female. It has a heavily streaked, dependently; thus the grayish bird on sen at random. Although the bills of Figure 6 has very large wing patches, yellowish rump, and strongly yellow the Pine Siskins appeared longer, their but these are the typical pale yellow wing and tail patches, but its back is exposed culmen length proved very of normal Pine Siskins. not as purely greenish as those of the males examined. similar to that of the Eurasian Siskins, The green morph occurs largely or perhaps because of greater extension entirely in male Pine Siskins. All the It should also be noted that juvenile of the culmen onto the roof of the strikingly dark green birds in the mu- Pine Siskins may resemble green seum collections examined by us are morph adults in having yellow below, males. This sex bias may be the basis especially on the undertail coverts. for Blake's (1976) supposition that They differ from the green morphs in they represent "cock-feathered" rather usually having more extensive yellow than the normal "hen-feathered ventrally, and in lacking the greenish male." They are very drab compared suffusion above and the strong yellow to males of other cardueline finches, patches on wings and tail. This plumage, which is illustrated in Scott (1987), may be lost before the birds migrate.

Identification of Female Eurasian Siskins It is clear that some adult male Pine Siskins look like female Eurasian Sis- kins (cf Fig. 1, 7). Fortunately, adult male Eurasian Siskins are easily dis- Figure 6. A gray-morph Pine Siskin in tinguished, although they do bear a Halifax. Nova Scotia. lateApril 1986. Note superficial resemblance to some neo- Figure 7. A female Eurasian Siskin in that the yellow on wings and tail is exten- tropical siskins. Svensson (1984) in- Coventry. England. February 1982. Note sive. but not strong in hue and that the dicates that male Eurasian Siskins are the paler yellow wing markings compared back is only faintly greenish. Photo/I. to the green-morph Pine Siskin (Figs. 1- McLaren. identifiable as such by their first winter. Thus we are faced only with the 4). Photo/Alan Millward.

1272 American Birds, Winter 1989 measurements overlap, they represent largely from the underlying deep-yel- a visibly different average bill shape, low bases of the secondary feathers due largely to the deeper base of the that show through the whitish and lower mandible in Eurasian Siskins often worn greater covert margins (see and the very long, thin bills of some Fig. 3). Virtually all field guide illus- Pine Siskins (e.g., Fig. 8). trations of female Eurasian Siskins Although the culmen on the Eura- show two yellowish wing bars. Indeed, sian Siskin is commonly illustrated as both the median and greater coverts curved (as in Fig. 7), and that of the of adult female Eurasian Siskins have Pine Siskin as straight (as in Fig. 8), . yellowish margins, although the for- this is not a reliable difference. Among mer may be covered by scapular feath- birds in the Museum of Vertebrate ers in perched birds. Also, the yellow- ~ Zoology, University of California at ish margins of the greater coverts in Figure 8. A first-winter Pine Siskin in Hal- Berkeley, culmens of 28/39 Eurasian female Eurasian Siskins are generally ifax. Nova Scotia. late April 1986. Note Siskins and 36/397 Pine Siskins were broader than those on green-morph the thin bill (compare with Fig. 7). Photo/ scored as curved. Furthermore, cur- Pine Siskins, although they may be I. McLaren. vature of the culmen may only be narrowed by wear. The yellowish evident when the bill is observed or bases ofthe secondaries in female Eur- skull in the latter. Therefore, length photographed from a strictly lateral asian Siskins do not extend much if was measured from the anterior edge aspect. at all beyond the yellowish tips of the of the nostril to the tip of the bill. This Plumages. The striking similarity of greater coverts. In conclusion, the eye- averaged significantly greater (t = plumages between female Eurasian catching prominence of yellow on 4.06, d.f. 20, p < 0.01) in Pine Siskins Siskin and some green morphs of the their wings has a different basis in (mean 8.88, S.D. 0.36, range 8.5-9.7 Pine Siskin is the heart of the identi- female Eurasian Siskins and green- mm) than in Eurasian Siskin (mean fication problem. In our analyses, we morph Pine Siskins: two wing bars in 8.36, S.D. 0.26, range 7.9-9.0 mm). have been greatly aided by the com- the former, and deeper and more ex- Bill depth, however, was significantly ments of and the illuminating sketch tensive yellow at the bases of flight smaller (t = 9.36, d.f. 20, p < 0.001) (Fig. 9) by Lars Jonsson who, unlike feathers in the latter. in Pine Siskins (mean 5.80 mm, S.D. two other European experts to whom 2. The yellow tail patches of female 0.29, range 5.3-6.4 mm) than in Eur- we submitted copies of slides, imme- Eurasian Siskins are less deeply yellow asian Siskins (mean 6.31, S.D. 0.23, diately recognized that the Halifax and less extensive than those of green- range 6.1-6.8 mm). Although these bird was not a Eurasian Siskin. morph Pine Siskins, in which they 1. The wing bars of Eurasian and may extend almost to the tip of the Pine siskins are variably illustrated in tail medially (e.g., Figs. 2, 4). This is field guides and other references. probably a sexual difference, as male Those of Pine Siskins are often shown siskins do have more extensive deep- as more modest and less deeply yellow yellow tail patches than females (Pyle than those of Eurasian Siskins. How- et al. 1987). ever, specimens of female Eurasian 3. Dorsal views of green siskins, Siskins seen by us generally do not while likely to attract attention among have such bright wing markings. Lars a flock of Pine Siskins, are least dis- Jonsson (in lit.) judged, from photo- tinctive. Views of the underparts are graphs of the Halifax bird (Fig. 1, 2), more useful. Green morphs always that "the bright wing flashes of yellow lack the heavy, dark streaks usual in are absolutely too bright for a female brownish Pine Siskins, and some have [Eurasian] siskin." Furthermore, the almost no streaking below. When pattern of yellow differs. Both may present, the streaks appear broad and have variable amounts of yellow, with diffuse compared with those of female virtually none in some Pine Siskins, Eurasian Siskins, on which the streak- but prominent in our green morphs, ing of the flanks, especially poste- Figure 9. Sketch by Lars Jonsson of the on the bases of the primaries and se- riorly, is always broad, dark and green-morph Pine Siskin in Halifax. Nova condaries and on the inner webs of sharp-edged (Fig. 10). Female Eura- Scotia. based on photographs (upper fig- the tertials. Field guide illustrations of sian Siskins also have a larger un- ure). together with that of a "typical" or Pine Siskins generally show one or streaked area on the lower breast and composite adult female Eurasian Siskin two whitish wing bars with a yellow belly (Fig. 10). (lowerfigure). Note the following features on the Eurasian Siskin: more distinct up- flash at the base of the outer primaries, The distribution of yellow on the per wing bar; broaderand whiter lower and this is indeed the commonest ar- underparts differs in the two birds wing bar; less prominent wing flashes rangement. However, the margins of (Figs. 9, 10). Female Eurasian Siskins (bases of secondaries); dark streaks on un- the greater wing coverts may appear are variably yellow on the upper dersides most prominent on flanks; less yellowish in Pine Siskins, especially in breast. The yellow is more extensive contrasting ear coverts (not always so); green morphs. Although the posterior and less bright in most green-morph stouter and more curved (not always) culmen. wing bar may be slightly yellowish, Pine Siskins and often occurs on the this appearance in Pine Siskins derives flanks.

Volume 43, Number 5 1273 the pattern of the wings: two yellowish in 1970. Us. Fish & Wild/. ServoSpec. Sci. Rep. Wildl. 164. wing bars and limited yellow at the ...... CLAPP, R. B., and R. C. BANKS. 1973b. frc. base of the flight feathers in Eurasian Birds imported into the United States Siskins, and two whitish wing bars in 1971. Us. Fish & Wildl. ServoSpec. I.,," with an extensive yellow primary Sci. Rep. Wildl. 170. patch on Pine Siskins. Yellow under- CLENCH, M. H., and R. C. LEBERMAN. tail coverts, if present, eliminate fe- 1978. Weights of 151 species of Penn- male Eurasian Siskin. Bedazzled ob- sylvania birds analysed by month, age and sex. Bull. CarnegieMus. Nat. Hist. servers should try to obtain color pho- 5. tographs for closer analysis. DAWSON, I., and K. ALLSOPP. 1986a. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Recent reports. Brit. Birds 79:215-220. DAWSON, I., and K. ALLSOPP. 1986b. We thank staff at the British Columbia Recent reports. Brit. Birds 79:263-268. Provincial Museum, The British Museum DeBENEDICTIS, P., and B. FIEHWIG. (Natural History), the American Museum of 1974. A European Siskin on the Ke- If').'; Natural History, the Museum of Compara- nosha Christmas Count. Passenger Pi- 6'~ tive Zoology at Harvard University,the Mu- I, geon 36:38. seum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University FARRAND, J., Jr. (Ed.). 1983. The Au- of Californiaat Berkeley,and the Royal On- dubon Society master guide to birding. 1IOl'11~~ ~~. tario Museum, for accessto collections.We \ . &I$n..~ ~~.~ ' also thank Lars Jonsson for his useful com- Vo!. 3. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. GREENHALL, M. 1977. Birds imported ~ ~ ~\ ~ ~...... ments on the identification problem and his '35 \i ,, ~. ~< into the United States in 1973 and .=--~ ...\ ':0.,... splendid sketch, Kenneth C. Parkes for val- 1974. V.s. Fish & Wild. Servo Wild/. Figure 10. Ventral view of specimens of a uable analyses of collectionsin the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Theodore Koundak- Leaflet 511. green-morph Pine Siskin (NMC 83635, HOLLOWAY, J. F., and R. H. F. left) and a female Eurasian Siskin (NMC jian for analysingcollectionsin the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology,C. J. Ralph and Alan THORNE. 1981. The birds of Fair Isle. 45425, right). Note the extensive yellowish Millward for their photographs, and Dan Shetland Times, Lerwick. on the underparts of the former and its Gibson and A. Debrosse for unpublished in- JANSSEN, R. B. 1974. Western Great confinement to the upper breast on the formation, and Dave DeSante for alerting us Lakes Region. Am. Birds 28:641-645. latter. Photo/M. Gosselin. to the Arcata birds. JOHNSON, G. W. 1969. Spotting out-of- LITERATURE CITED place bird is great thrill. New Bedford The undertail coverts of most green- (MA) Sunday Standard-Times 61, No. morph Pine Siskins (including both AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' 16:51. the Halifax and Arcata birds) are yel- UNION. 1983. Check-list of North MACTAVISH, B. 1986. Northeastern lowish, a feature not found on any American birds. Sixth Edition. Allen Maritime Region. Am. Birds 40:442- specimens of female Eurasian Siskins, Press, Lawrence, Kansas. 446. some of which do have a little yellow BANKS, R. C. 1970. Birds imported into MAIER, L., and M. MAIER. 1974. Eu- the United States in 1968. Us. Fish & ropean Siskin? at Buffalo. Passenger immediately behind the legs. How- Wild/. ServoSpec. Sci. Rep. Wildl. 136. Pigeon 36:158. ever, yellow undertail coverts are not BANKS, ~. c., AND R. B. CLAPP. 1972. MORLAN, J., S. F. BAILEY, and R. A. always noticeable on specimens of Birds imported into the United States ERICKSON. 1987. Middle Pacific green-morph Pine Siskins. Thus, yel- in 1969. Us. Fish & Wildl. ServoSpec. Coast region. Am. Birds 41:322-327. low undertail coverts, if they can be Sci. Rep. Wild/. 148. NEWTON, I. 1973. Finches. Taplinger seen, exclude the Eurasian Siskin; but BLACK, I. H. 1983. Winter field notes - Pub!. Co., New York. region no. 2. Rec. N.J. Birds 9:35-36. NIKULA, B. 1983. Northeastern mari- their absence does not infallibly sig- BLAKE, C. H. 1976. Siskin plumages. Am. time region. Am. Birds 37:844-849. nify this species. Birds 30:770. NORRIS, R. T. 1983. Banding report: 4. Although green-morph Pine Sis- BLOCH, D., and S. S0RENSEN. 1984. Eurasian Siskin in Rockport, Massa- kins may have more contrasting ear Yvirlit yvir F0roya Fuglar. F0roya Sku- chusetts. Bird. Obs. E. Mass. II: 172- patches than do female Eurasian Sis- laborkagrunnur, Torshavn. 173. kins (cf Figs. 2, 7) this is not a con- BORROR, A. C. 1963. European Siskin OBERHOLSER, H. C. 1974. The Bird (Carduelis spinus) in Maine. Auk Life of Texas. 2 vols. University of sistent or easily observed difference. 80:201. Texas Press, Austin, Texas. 1063 p. We find no other differences in facial BOYLE, W. J., R. O. PAXTON, and D. PETERJOHN, B. G. 1981. Middlewestern or dorsal plumage that might assist A. CUTLER. 1983. Hudson-Delaware prairie region. Am. Birds 35:304-307. discrimination in the field. region. Am. Birds 37:283-287. PETURSSON, G., and E. OLAFSSON. In conclusion, close study of bright BREWSTER, W. 1906. The birds of the 1984. Sjaldg fir Fuglar a Islandi 1982. green-morph Pine Siskins should dis- Cambridge region of Massachusetts. Bliki 3:15-44. Mem. Nuttall Ornitho/. Club, No.4. PETURSSON, G., and E. OLAFSSON. tinguish them from possible vagrant BURROWS, R. 1980 Possible European 1985. Sjaldg fir Fuglar a Islandi 1982. (or escaped) female Eurasian Siskins. Siskin? Osprey 11:33-34. Bliki 4:13-39. Most important, the large yellow tail CAMPBELL, B., and E. LACK. 1985 A PETURSSON, G., and E. OLAFSSON. and wing patches that may first draw Dictionary of Birds. Buteo Books, Ver- 1986. Sjaldg fir Fuglar a Islandi 1982. attention to a green-morph Pine Sis- million, North Dakota. Bliki 5:19-46. kin at the same time eliminate the CASEMENT, M. B. 1977. Landbird sum- PETURSSON, G., and K. H. SKAR- possibility of female Eurasian Siskin. mary. Sea Swallow 26: 15-37. PHETHINSSON. 1982. Sjaldg fir Fug- CLAPP, R. B. 1975. Birds imported into lar a Islandi 1980. Natturufroethisto- In contrast, real female Eurasian Sis- the United States in 1972. V.s. Fish & finn Islands, Reykjavik. kins are not so brightly marked and Wildl. ServoSpec. Sci. Rep. Wildl. 193. PYLE, P., S. N. G. HOWELL, R. P. YU- could easily be overlooked among CLAPP, R. B., and R. C. BANKS. 1973a. NICK, and D. F. DeSANTE. 1987. Pine Siskins. The best field mark is Birds imported into the United States Continued on page 1381

1274 American Birds, Winter 1989 Loggerhead Shrikes were marked wildlife in urban, suburban, and de- r ,I with: veloping areas. I a) a FWS aluminum band during For more information, contact Dr. I Exp lore I all years; Lowell Adams, Symposium Program THE WORLD WITH I b) a red plastic band (0.4 cm wide) Chairman, National Institute for Ur- I on the opposite leg during 1988; ban Wildlife, 10921 Trotting Ridge I c) a red and white plastic band on Way, Columbia, MD 21044 (301- Questers the opposite leg during 1989;and 596-3311). . d) larger immatures were marked Eurasian Siskins Travel with a purpose. Search out with fluorescent orange on the plants and animals. birds and flowers. In- tail and/or primaries during llestigate art and antiquities. Study rain for- Continuedfrom page 1274 ests, mountains and tundra. seashores, 1989. lakes and swamps. With Questers you have Baird's Sparrows were marked with: Identification Guide to North Ameri- time to photograph, absorb, reflect. Your a) A FWS aluminum band and a can Passerines. Slate Creek Press, Bol- guide is a naturalist, tour parties are small, inas, California. accommodations first-class. colored plastic band during 1988. Our current Directory of Worldwide RIDDIFORD, N. 1984. Fair Isle Observ- Nature Tours describes 37 tours to the Anyone observing these birds should atory Report No. 37. Fair Isle Bird Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania note the location, date, color marker Observatory Trust, Edinburgh. and Australasia. Among them arit Alaska. and band combinations and other de- RIDGWAY, R. 190I. The birds of North Galapagos, Patagonia, Iceland, Spain. and Middle America. Part I. Family Scotland, Japan, Bhutan, China, tails of the sighting. Send particulars Madagascar, Tanzania, Australia, New Fringillidae-the finches. U.S. Nat. to KEN DE SMET, MANITOBA Mus. Bull. 50. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL Zealand, Hawaii and the .f1 ~.S.R. ROBERSON, D. 1980. Rare Birds of the Learnaboutthemall. ~ RESOURCES, BOX 14, 1495 ST. West Coast. Woodcock Publications, Send for ~{).~ JAMES STREET, WINNIPEG, Pacific Grove, California. Questers Worfd ~- MANITOBA, R3H OW9 or phone RYAN, R. 1981. Ask Dick Ryan. Birding 13:156-157. (204-945-6301). name SCOTT, S. L., ed. 1987. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National .aa..ss Hawk Watch in New England Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. City state The New England Hawk Watch will 464p. hold a one day conference on subjects SELLERS, R. M. 1986. Biometrics of the ~Pa~"".__ -. NY10010 QUESTERS related to raptors and raptor migra- Siskin Carduelis spinus. Ringing and (212)673-3120 Worfdwide Nature Tours tion on Saturday, April 7, 1990 at the Migration 7:99-111. ------Holiday Inn in Holyoke, Massachu- SHARROCK, J. T. R. 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. setts (the site of previous NEHW con- T. & A. D. Poyser, Berkhamsted, Eng- ferences). The program is presently in land. the planning stage. Following the SVENSSON, L. 1984. Identification day's events there will be. a banquet Guide to European Passerines. Third with Peter Dunne the guest speaker. ed. Pub!. by author, Stockholm, Swe- For more detailed information and den. THOM, V. M. 1986. Birds in Scotland. T. pre-registration write to: HAWKS, and A. Poyser, Calton, Scotland. P.O. Box 212, Portland, Connecticut TINGLEY, S. 1983. Northeastern mari- DUTCH 06480. time region. Am. Birds 37:967-970. TUCK, G. S. 1973. O.W.S. Landbird ob- National Symposium on Urban servations-1970/1971. Sea Swallow BIRDING Wildlife 22:27 (plus Table B facing p. 24). A national symposium on urban WEIR, R. D. 1988. Ontario Region. Am. Birds 42: 256-261. Quarterlyjoumal wildlife is scheduled for November 11 . foreverykeen to 14, 1990, at the Stouffer Five Sea- WITHERBY, H. E, F. C. R. JOURDAIN, birderl N. E TICEHURST, and B. W. sons Hotel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Or- TUCKER. 1943. The Handbook of ,.. ganized by the National Institute for British Birds. Witherby, London. o Excellent papers on identification, Urban Wildlife, the symposium will WOODCOCK, J. 1974. Pine Siskin in distribution. movements and - focus the attention of urban planners, aberrant plumage. Passenger Pigeon behaviour of Palearctic birds. 36:158. o latest news on rare birds in the . landscapearchitects,developers,city administrators, natural resources bi- -Biology Department, Dalhousie Netherlands and Belgium. University, Halifax. N.S. B3H 4Jl o In English or with English summaries. ologists, elected officials, and others (McLaren); 417 Talbot Ave., Albany, on the opportunity and need for wild- o Well produced with numerous high CA 94706 (Morlan); South Florida Re- quality photographs. life and nature conservation in met- search Center, Everglades National ropolitan America. Park, P.O. Box 279, Homestead, FL The National Institute for Urban 33030 (Smith); Ornithology Section, For information write to: National Museum of Natural Science, Dutch Birding, Postbus 5611, Wildlife is a private, nonprofit scien- 1007 AP Amsterdam, tific and education organization ded- P.O. Box 3443, Sta. D, Ottawa, Ont., Netherlands. icated to research, management, and Canada KIP 6P4 (Gosselin); Depart- ment of Ornithology and Mammalogy, conservation education programs and California Academy of Sciences, San Subscribers to Dutch Birding can claim 25% off a British activities for the benefit of people and Francisco,CA94118(Bailey). . Birds subscription .

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