Black-headed Siskin vs Black Siskin

Black-headed Siskin

Spinus notatus

Tiny11 gForest

The black-headed siskin is 10.2 to 11.5 cm (4.0 to 4.5 in) long and weighs about 10 to 14 g (0.35 to 0.49 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males of the nominate subspecies S. n. notatus have a black head and upper breast. Their nape, back, and scapulars are yellowish olive-green with mostly hidden black spots in the middle of the feathers. Their rump and uppertail coverts are yellow. Their tail is mostly black with lemon yellow bases on the outermost pair of feathers. Voice: One description of the black-headed siskin's song is "a varied, rapid, jangling, twittering warble, often prolonged, with repetition of phrases and odd nasal and metallic notes thrown in". Another is a "rapid, liquid, tinkling, buzzy series of repeated elements lasting up to 15 sec.". Its calls include "a nasal teu...a drawn-out tseeeu, or djeein, a dry jeh-jeht, and a nasal ti-chie".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Grete Pasch · CC BY 4.0

Black Siskin

Spinus atratus

Small16 gGrassland

The black siskin is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs about 15 to 17 g (0.53 to 0.60 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic but not dramatically so. Adult males are almost entirely glossy black. The sides of the bases of their tail feathers are bright yellow. Their wings' greater coverts have yellow tips and the flight feathers have wide yellow bands across their bases. Their vent and undertail coverts are bright yellow. Adult females have slightly browner upperparts than males. The yellow parts of their tail and wings are paler than those of males. Voice: The black siskin's song is not well known but appears to be similar to that of the yellow-rumped siskin (S. uropygialis). The species sings from a perch atop a bush or tree and also in flight. Its calls are mostly given in flight and include "a descending tew, chew, and a hew-li?".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Hugo Hulsberg · cc0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-headed Siskin and Black Siskin.