Every fall, birders anxiously await the predictions of the Winter Finch Forecast—a long-running, volunteer produced publication that aims to predict whether or not boreal finches will move south for the winter. We are still in the midst of fall migration, with hopefully more time before the deep chill of winter sets in, so you might be reading this and thinking this week’s Entryway to Birding blog is a little premature.

Rest assured, it’s not. Boreal finches are here, baby! And, if reports from northern Wisconsin are a sign of what’s to come, a whole lot more are on their way.

If you’re a new birder that got started during the pandemic, rest assured that you chose an amazing time to begin this hobby. The influx of “winter finches” that we are beginning to see is shaping up to be a year unlike any other in a long, long while. This week’s Entryway to Birding blog brings you everything you need to know about what winter finch species to expect this year, where to look for them, and how to attract them to your feeder.

This could be your feeder this year—graced by evening grosbeaks! It’s a scene that on an average year, you’d have to drive to the furthest regions of Wisconsin or Minnesota to maybe see. But this year’s winter finch irruption is potentially bringing… — This could be your feeder this year—graced by evening grosbeaks! It’s a scene that on an average year, you’d have to drive to the furthest regions of Wisconsin or Minnesota to maybe see. But this year’s winter finch irruption is potentially bringing this birds much, much closer to us in south-central Wisconsin. Don’t be surprised if you see this new bird at your feeder! *Photo by David Larson CC BY-NC-ND*

What is the “Winter Finch Forecast”?

Before we start exploring our line-up of winter visitors, let’s talk about this iconic Winter Finch Forecast. Each year, it has the birding community abuzz with excitement, but what exactly is it? Where did it begin? And how exactly does it know whether or not each year will be an irruption year? (And, let’s be real, what the heck does “irruption” even mean?)

Look at that cone crop! Keep your eyes peeled for cones on spruce, pines, and fir trees in your area. These cones are a huge draw for winter finches, especially crossbill species. Photo by Caribb CC BY-NC-ND — Look at that cone crop! Keep your eyes peeled for cones on spruce, pines, and fir trees in your area. These cones are a huge draw for winter finches, especially crossbill species. *Photo by Caribb CC BY-NC-ND*

The Winter Finch Forecast has a long history that’s been decades in the making. Up until this year, the forecast was written by avid birder and naturalist Ron Pittaway, who lives up in Ontario and has spent years studying the food supply of boreal species—the cone crops of conifer trees. These cone crops produce in cycles, with some years producing heavier crops than others. Winter finches move with this variable food supply, so if there’s isn’t enough food up north, they’ll move south. But if there’s plenty of food up north, they’ll stay. It’s a little more complicated than that, though, and Pittaway has over many years refined a process of how to predict when and if winter finches will make a move south.

His reports have been published yearly over the past 20+ years, but this year Ron is retiring and has passed the torch to Tyler Hoar, an experienced volunteer who has helped collect and analyze cone crop data for the report over the years. You can read this year’s Winter Finch Report, compiled by Tyler Hoar, here.

The story behind the Winter Finch Report is just as enthralling as the finches. If you’d like a fascinating read, I highly recommend this article from The Cornell Lab about Ron Pittaway, the inner workings of the Winter Finch Report, and the enthralling effect it has on the nation’s birding community. Over many years, Pittaway has established a massive informal network of scientists and volunteers that help him collect cone crop data and predict whether or not an irruption year will happen.

And, speaking of … what’s an irruption?

Irruption is a term used to describe the increase of a plant or animal population in a particular region—like an irruption of evening grosbeaks into the US from Canada. Grammatically, this word is related to the more familiar “eruption,” but you can keep these words straight by remembering that things like volcanic ash erupt out of something, while wildlife moving into a new territory is irrupting into something. That out of vs. into difference results in the different spelling you see—which can be confusing at first, since the words are pronounced nearly the same!

Your Winter Finch Line Up

The cone crop up north has not been great this year, and across the board we are seeing irruptions of several winter finches—some of which haven’t traversed this far south in many, many years. It’s predicted that this year will have the largest irruption of evening grosbeaks in twenty years! A few of these species you may have seen already, like pine siskins who began arriving unexpectedly early in October, but others are still on their way, slowly trickling down to us in south-central Wisconsin.

These are birds that we may see one year, but not the next—or the next, or the next. The unpredictability of their presence makes them a desired find for birders, new and experienced a like.

Here is a line-up of winter or boreal finches you can expect to see this season. I’ve started with the more “common” of these irregular visitors, moving to the “less common.”

Pine siskins

Pine siskins have already taken the country by storm. They are small, brown and very streaky finches that have splashes of yellow along their wings and sides. You might notice a short, notched tail or an exceptionally pointy-looking bill. They’ll often feed in the same areas that you’ll find goldfinches, and even join them in flocks. If you’re out birding and see some goldfinches, be sure to look carefully at them so as to not overlook any pine siskins!

Have they reached us yet? YES! Dane County and the surrounding areas started seeing huge numbers of pine siskins back in October. Read about the hundreds of them that were spotted enjoying the seeds of prairie plants at Goose Pond in a recent Friday Feathered Feature.
Where can you find them? If you don’t spot them at your feeders, look for them clinging to the ends of conifer branches or flowering plants as they look for seeds. They’ll visit a variety of trees and plants, though, and you’ll see them clinging—often upside down!—to the ends of branches or seed heads.
What should you feed them? Pine siskins enjoy small seeds, like nyjer (thistle) seed in particular, but they may also enjoy hulled sunflower seeds or millet. Be sure to space your feeders out to give them room and clean your feeders regularly, as pine siskins are more likely than some other birds to carry salmonellosis.

Purple finches

A male and female purple finch perch on a feeder next to American goldfinches. Notice how the raspberry red coloring of the purple finch goes all the way through its wings. You can’t see the female’s full face here, but you can see the white stripe … — A male and female purple finch perch on a feeder next to American goldfinches. Notice how the raspberry red coloring of the purple finch goes all the way through its wings. You can’t see the female’s full face here, but you can see the white stripe of her eyebrow. *Photo by Colleen Prieto CC BY-NC-ND*

These house finch look-a-likes can be tricky! For even the most experienced birder, it can be hard to confidently identify a purple finch. Male purple finches aren’t exactly purple at all—they are a deep raspberry red, like they’ve been dipped in Kool Aid. Their coloring will extend from their head through their wings, too, whereas a male house finch will have a reddish head on a brown, streaky body.

Female purple finches are brown and streaky like female house finches, but their facial markings are unique—they’ve got a strong white eyebrow that you should look for. Both male and female will have a strong, thick bill, perfect for cracking open seeds.

Have they reached us yet? Yes! They arrived early with the pine siskins, but don’t expect to see them large flocks of them like you would siskins. You should be giving any house finches you see a closer look, just in case.
Where can you find them? If you don’t spot them at your feeders, look for them in forests with coniferous trees, like their boreal habitat back home.
What should you feed them? Black oil sunflower seed, hands down. It’s a winter finch crowd favorite.

Common redpolls

Common redpolls are known for their unique red forehead patch, not to be confused with the red head of a house finch. They are otherwise streaked in brown and white. Males will have a reddish wash on their chest. Their yellow bills are small and pointy, designed for eating small seeds. They are known for traveling in large flocks, feeding energetically and flying around in a swirl together before they land again to forage some more.

Have they reached us yet? Yes, but only in the last week or so. I haven’t spotted any yet while out birding (and trust me, I’ve been looking!) but I know plenty of folks who have. Their numbers are sure to go up as more begin arriving, so be on the lookout!
Where can you find them? If you have feeders, they are likely to be a common visitor this winter. But if you’re out birding, look for them foraging actively in flocks on trees like birch, where they’ll feed on seeds from the birch’s catkins, or in weedy fields where they can feed on seed heads.
What should you feed them? Like pine siskins, they have smaller bills than other finches and prefer smaller seeds. They enjoy nyjer (thistle) seed and hulled sunflower seeds. They are common visitors to feeders in winter, so if you’ve got food that pine siskins are enjoying, you’ll be ready for redpolls.

Red crossbills

A red crossbill perches at the top of a tree laden with cones. Look at that unique bill! Photo by Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren CC BY — A red crossbill perches at the top of a tree laden with cones. Look at that unique bill! *Photo by Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren CC BY*

Red crossbills are sporting one of the most unique bills around. Without knowing, you might think their bills have a deformity or seem overgrown. But nope, these birds have developed a literal crossed bill that is uniquely adapted to eating seeds from the cones of coniferous trees. Most other finches rely on opened cones that they can pick seeds from, but crossbills are able to use their bills to pry open unopened cones to access the seeds inside. Males are a washed-out red, while females are a yellow-green.

Have they reached us yet? Yes, but only recently. There have been a few sightings reported to eBird, particularly in places where there is good cone crop for them to feed on. Will they stay the winter? I’m not sure. It depends on if they are able to find enough cone crop to keep them here, or if they’ll keep moving south.

Where can you find them? If you want to see a crossbill, you’ll need to go looking for them. Head to areas with coniferous trees—pine in particular, but also spruce and fir—that have cones on them. Scan those tree tops. If you see cones, you’ve increased your chances already. I’ve been on the prowl for these birds (no luck for me yet!) and have found that a lot of our coniferous trees are lacking cones, but there are a few places where they seem plentiful. Use eBird to track which hotspots have been good for red crossbills so far. Time will tell if we’ll see more, or if these cool birds will move on in search of better cone crop.
What should you feed them? These birds are less likely to visit your feeders. You’ll have to go out in search of them.

White-winged crossbills

This is a female white-winged crossbill. Females will have a yellow-green plumage, while males will be red. Note the white wing bars that set this species apart from red crossbills. Photo by Tom Benson CC BY-NC-ND — This is a female white-winged crossbill. Females will have a yellow-green plumage, while males will be red. Note the white wing bars that set this species apart from red crossbills. *Photo by Tom Benson CC BY-NC-ND*

Sporting the same style of bill as red crossbills, white-winged crossbills are also true to their name—they’ve got white wingbars. They otherwise look and act very similarly to red crossbills. Females are more yellow-green, while males are red. They’ll likely be in flocks, feeding together near the treetops of conifers as they hang from branches and use their bills to extract seeds from the cones.

Have they reached us yet? There have been reports in nearby counties, but very few in Dane County so far. White-winged crossbills tend to be less common than the already uncommon red crossbills. Will we see more of them as this crazy winter finch season continues? Their reports in northern Wisconsin are more numerous, which is a good sign of what might come, but we’ll have to wait and find out.
Where can you find them? Like red crossbills, you can’t expect these birds just anywhere. You’ll have to seek them out. They favor spruce cones over pine and fir, but putting yourself in a habitat with lots of coniferous trees is a good place to start. Look for them hanging from the tops of branches as they work those cones for seeds. You’ll likely need to use eBird to see where they have been seen this season so you can focus your search.
What should you feed them? These birds are less likely to visit your feeders. You’ll have to go out in search of them.

Evening grosbeaks

A male evening grosbeak perches in a tree. Those colors! That eyebrow! That bill! No wonder birders go crazy over these finches. Photo by Jerry McFarland CC BY-NC — A male evening grosbeak perches in a tree. Those colors! That eyebrow! That bill! *Photo by Jerry McFarland CC BY-NC*

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Even in previous irruption years, evening grosbeaks would be a bird that you’d be lucky if you saw in the most northern regions of Wisconsin. They are one of the most spectacularly styled winter finches and their presence in south-central Wisconsin is rare indeed. But this year … this year is likely to be different. Their unprecedented numbers this year are already making headlines and breaking records.

Male evening grosbeaks are yellow, black, and white, with a strong yellow eyebrow on a black head. Females and immature males will be mostly gray with a slight yellow wash, but will still have black those black and white wings. This isn’t a bird you’d expect at your feeder in our south-central region of WI on an average year, but you should be keeping your eyes peeled for them now with this irruption.

Have they reached us yet? Yes, but in only small numbers, mostly reported to eBird as flyovers. Not far north of us, though, they are already flocking to feeders. South of us, Illinois has already seen record-breaking numbers of evening grosbeaks. This is a good sign that more will be settling in our area, hopefully to spend the winter with us.
Where can you find them? They are known for visiting feeders, though it’s possible you might also find them while out birding in woods with both deciduous and coniferous trees, enjoying everything from maple trees to crabapples to sumac.
What should you feed them? Black oil sunflower seeds. Their bills are hefty and strong, and they’re able to crack larger seeds open with ease. The “leftovers” from their seed-munching will often attract pine siskins and common redpolls, who have small bills that can’t crack open the seeds from the shell.

Pine grosbeaks

A perched pine grosbeak. Notice the gray body with a strong red wash of color, a black conical bill, and black wings with white wingbars. Will we get lucky enough to spot these birds in Dane County? Fingers crossed! Photo by dfaulder CC BY — A perched pine grosbeak. Notice the gray body with a strong red wash of color, a black conical bill, and black wings with white wingbars. Will we get lucky enough to spot these birds in Dane County? Fingers crossed! *Photo by dfaulder CC BY*

Even less commonly seen in our south-central region of Wisconsin are pine grosbeaks. These are a large, hefty finch with a gray-ish body that is washed with red (males) or yellow (females). They might seem similar to crossbills from a distance, but they lack that unique crossed bill in favor of a thick, conical bill. They are the largest of the winter finches you might see—if you’re lucky to see one!

Have they reached us yet? Not yet—and they may not. But they are being seen in northern Wisconsin already. There are a few reports in nearby counties, but none in Dane yet. Their presence in nearby areas does suggest that more might be venturing this far south in the state. We’ll have to wait and see!
Where can you find them? If we get some of these in our area, they will likely be found visiting a feeder.
What should you feed them? That good ol’ crowd favorite, black oil sunflower seeds! Seeds in the shell or hulled sunflower seeds will draw them in, as it will many of the other winter finches.

How to Prepare for the Great Finch Irruption of 2020

If you’re lucky and you’ve got a great feeder set-up, you might find that a number of these winter finches may come to you. For those of us living that feeder-less, second-story apartment life, we may have to go looking. Regardless of your situation, here are some resources to help you get prepared to make the most of your winter finch birding:

Get comfortable using eBird’s Explore Species page and Species Map. This will help you track recent sightings of winter finches in your area and give you an idea where to look for them. If you need a refresher on how to use this feature to find certain birds, check out one of our older blog posts, A Beginner’s Guide to Finding Birds.
Ready your feeders. Are you lucky enough to have a yard with feeders? Apartment-dwelling birders like me are very jealous. Take some time to read up on what you can do to attract winter finches to your yard. This amazing database from Project FeederWatch is a great place to start!
Read up! Learn more about these fascinating birds that only occasionally grace us with their presence. There’s a ton of great readings and information over at The Finch Research Network.
Learn to identify your conifer trees. We’ve talked a lot about different types of trees that winter finches may be drawn to—particularly conifers! Learn more about how to tell those trees apart so you can really focus your search.

I started birding last fall and got to experience the full stretch of the fall and winter birding season in the Dane County area. There were no pine siskins. No common redpolls. No purple finches. Last year, there was no need for these birds to move south in search of food—it was plentiful up north.

This year is swinging in a wildly different direction. It goes to show how erratic and seemingly unpredictable the presence of these wandering birds are. It’s a good reminder to not take them—or any bird—for granted.

That’s all for this week. Now, go scour your neighborhood for some good cone crop!

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Caitlyn is the Communications and Outreach Assistant at Madison Audubon. She’s crazy for birds because they changed her life. She’ll be back next Monday with some tips and tools for birders, new and experienced! Between now and then, she’d love to hear about the birds you’re seeing and hearing. Leave a comment below or email to drop her a line!