Spinus pinus

Formerly (AOU 1983, 1998) listed in Carduelis. Acanthis and Spinus were considered separate genera prior to their merger into Carduelis (AOU 1983), in part following Mayr and Short (1970), although they continued to be listed as subgenera. Recent mitochondrial genetic data (Arnaiz-Villena et al. 2008) indicate that Carduelis is polyphyletic and that Acanthis spp., Spinus spp., Carduelis carduelis, and Chloris sinica belong to different clades.

Large range almost confined to North America; large number of subpopulations; large population size; BBS data indicate substantial population declines since the 1960s; causes of the apparent decline are uncertain. Further review of global rank is needed; NatureServe rank calculator version 6.2 yielded a rank of G4.

Nesting range extends from central and south-coastal Alaska east across Canada to Labrador, and south to northern Baja California, southern Mexico and Guatemala, western Texas, Great Lakes region, and northern New England, and sporatically southward to the central Great Plains region and southern Appalachian Mountains region (Dawson 1997, AOU 1998).

Winter range extends from the breeding range (except far northern noncoastal part) south to southern Mexico and Guatemala, Gulf coast of the United States, and northern Florida (Dawson 1997, AOU 1998).

This species is represented by a very large number of occurrenes (subpopulations).

Cause(s) of the range-wide population decline indicated by Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data are uncertain. Deforestation has eliminated or reduced habitat in some areas, but this species is adaptable and frequently uses and nests in altered and anthropogenic habitats (Dawson 1997), so it seems unlikely that this is responsible for the decline. Salmonellosis, apparently associated with siskin use of bird feeders, has caused die-offs in some areas in some years (Dawson 1997); further study is needed on the effects of this disease on siskin populations.