Winter finch outlook

Winter is the time when northern finches visit Minnesota, IF they're going to visit. Each year at about this time a birding expert in Ontario gathers information from a wide variety of sources to form a prediction of possible winter-finch movement. The prediction is based on the availability in eastern Canada of various seed crops. Finches are seedeaters. The focus is on seeds from key trees – white and black spruces, white birch, and mountain ash. Tree species playing a lesser role are tamarack (American larch), balsam fir, white cedar, yellow birch, and alders.

The author of this report is Ron Pittaway, a member of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, and a resident of Minden, Ontario. Here are his observations about finch activity this winter.

Most Pine Grosbeaks are expected to stay in the north this winter because the mountain-ash berry crop is generally excellent across the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska.

Pittaway says we should look for Purple Finches at our feeders this winter: Most Purple Finches will migrate south of Ontario this fall.

Red Crossbill: There are at least 10 "call types" of this species, broken into defined groups based on calls, which are very difficult to distinguish one from the others. Each type has its own cone preference, based on bill size and shape. Pittaway believes at least one of these types, that will the smallest bill, could move south because of a poor hemlock crop in Ontario.

White-winged Crossbills are expected to remain north if winter seed supplies last. Parts of Canada have an abundant of white-spruce cones.

Expect to see Common Redpolls. An irruption into southern Canada and the northern U.S. is predicted. This species is a white-birch seed specialist, movement linked to supplies of that seed. Additionally, good breeding success can cause southerly movement. It was an excellent breeding year for this species in parts of Canada, with reports of some pairs fledging three sets of chicks. Redpolls at your feeders will favor black-oil sunflower and Niger thistle seeds.

Pine Siskins are expected to stay to the north this winter, generally speaking.

Evening Grosbeak is a species whose population is much lower now that in the 1980s and earlier. Populations declined when spruce budworm outbreaks subsided. They are uncommon at best in Minnesota That is not expected to change this winter.

Pittaway's report also covered Red-breasted Nuthatch and Bohemian Waxwing. The former is a conifer-seed specialist, and that seed crop is called poor across Ontario. Nuthatches began moving south following its nesting season. We could see good numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches here this winter. Bohemian Waxwings are less likely to move south this winter because mountain-ash berry crops are said to be excellent to our north.

Thanks to Ron Pittaway for the information provided above.

Pictured is a Red-breasted Nuthatch