Finches and longspurs
Family Fringillidae
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
Early November - Early May
Status and abundance: Very rare visitor. Formerly uncommon migrant, winter resident and very rare summer visitor.
Habitat: Woodland, often near box elder and sycamore trees, and feeders with sunflower seed.
Records and remarks: An erratic migrant from the boreal forest of northern and western North America, Evening Grosbeak populations have declined tremendously. In the last few decades of the twentieth century some years would produce sizable flocks in the region whereas most years one would encounter few Evening Grosbeaks. The only place Evening Grosbeaks were regular in numbers was in the southeastern portion of our region, especially southern Saline Co. They are now essentially absent and should be thoroughly documented with photos archived in eBird. The fall and winter of 2020 produced an invasion across eastern North America that included some grosbeaks reaching their former haunts in southern Saline County.
AUTUMN—Fall flocks usually did not arrive until November.
50, Harrisburg, Saline Co., 2 Nov 1985 (JD)
45, Jackson Co., 9 Nov 1975 (BP)
40, near Rudement, Saline Co., 15 Nov 1993 (C. Cummins)
22, Pounds Hollow, Gallatin Co., 17 Nov 1993 (TF)
15, Crab Orchard NWR, 20 Nov 1985 (TF)
9, s. Saline Co., 25 Nov 2020 (C. and T. DeNeal)
WINTER—When large flocks visited feeders they dominated the activity and consumed huge amounts of seed. Although large flocks were not uncommon during years when many grosbeaks were present in the region, most sightings were of one to ten birds.
2, Rend Lake, 16 Dec 1995 (DK, MS)
24, s. Saline Co., 25 Dec 2020 (C. DeNeal)
100, Golconda, Pope Co., Jan and Feb 1984 (R. Graber)
39, sw. Williamson Co., 1 Jan 1987 (WDR)
58, Crab Orchard NWR CBC, 4 Jan 1976
200 at 2 feeders, Saline Co., 17 Jan 1987 (JD, K. Phelps)
125, Saline Co., 30 Jan 1996 (JD)
SPRING—Northward migration began at least by late March, but probably much earlier. Even in years when few were present during winter, a few were generally encountered during spring migration, as single individuals or perhaps in pairs, often in the first week of May.
22, Carbondale, 26 Mar 1976 (BP)
77, Saline Co., 25 Apr 1986 (JD, K. Phelps)
50, Saline Co., 28 Apr 1996 (JD)
4, Harrisburg, Saline Co., 10 May 1987 (JD)
2, Carbondale, 12 May 1984 (TF)
SUMMER—1 photographed, New Burnside, Johnson Co., 7 Jun 1991 (D. Cooper)
1, Dutch Creek, Union Co., 14 Jun 1991 (SKR)
Documentation: Specimen—ad. male, Carbondale, Jackson Co., 7 Apr 1984 (SIU, uncatalogued).
[Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator]
Status and abundance: Hypothetical.
Records and remarks: Pine Grosbeaks are birds of boreal forests and high elevation forests of western North America. In some winters, at irregular intervals, populations wander south, sometimes very far south, of their normal winter range. No observations in southern Illinois have been fully documented. A report of 2 on the Crab Orchard NWR CBC, 30 Dec 1972, seems to have been recorded without further details. Another, an adult male seen at a remarkably late date (7 May 1977) by four observers in Massac County, was probably correct but also undocumented (WDR, D. Klem, G. Waring, H. Waring).
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
Status and abundance: Fairly common year-round resident.
Habitat: Towns, woodland edges, hedgerows and agricultural landscapes.
Records and remarks: House Finches are a native species formerly restricted to western North America. Introduced from the West Coast to New York about 1940, their populations have since expanded all across eastern North America. House Finches first reached southern lllinois in 1971, but they were not numerous until about 1983 or 1984. The first arrived in Carbondale in spring 1982 (SO). They are most numerous in towns, but as the population increased, they began to move out into rural areas as well. There seems to be definite periods of migration, but little is known about the extent of these movements. Peak movements occur in March and November.
Nesting activity begins in late February, as males begin singing vigorously and pairs stake out territories. Nests are placed in conifers from three to 50 feet above the ground. Nests are built in light fixtures, potted plants, or under eaves of houses. House Finches will readily visit bird feeders for sunflower or thistle seed, and they may even be very aggressive patrons and chase away other species.
Daily high counts are typically fewer than 25 birds but may range to more than 100 when fall and winter flocks are encountered. Christmas Bird Counts tracked the increase in abundance well early after the range expansion (Robinson 1989b).
Documentation: Photograph—female, Carbondale, Jackson Co., 27 May 1985 (SIU AP-68).
Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus
Mid-October - Late April
Status and abundance: Fairly common migrant and winter resident. Very rare summer visitor.
Habitat: Woodlands, residential areas near feeders, and hedgerows.
Records and remarks: Regional populations of this small, chunky finch vary from year to year. They sometimes form flocks of up to two hundred individuals, but are normally found in groups of less than ten birds. Their distinctive flight call, a faint tick uttered at regular intervals, is most easily heard on calm days. In forests, Purple Finches feed on seeds of sycamore, ash, sweet gum, and tulip poplar trees. Observers detecting Purple Finches from May through September should archive photos in eBird.
AUTUMN—Detection of first fall arrivals varies tremendously from year to year. Most often the first birds arrive in mid-October. Because of the winter population, it is difficult to determine departure dates or peak migration periods.
2, Carbondale, 11 Sep 2015 (JT)
1, Ozark, Johnson Co., 21 Sep 1993 (TF)
1, Little Grassy Lake, Jackson Co., 2 Oct 1976 (BP)
190, Little Grassy Lake, Jackson Co., 9 Nov 1975 (BP)
WINTER—Purple Finches regularly visit feeders, especially to consume sunflower seeds, where they associate with Pine Siskins and American Goldfinches.
34, Union Co. CA, 29 Dec 2007 (KMc)
SPRING—The beginning of northward migration is difficult to discern in most years, but numbers peak reliably in March and April. A few linger into May, but most birds have departed by mid-April.
150, Ozark, Johnson Co., 25 Feb 1994 (TF)
128, Rudement, Saline Co., 29 Mar 1990 (JD)
1, Mermet Lake CA, 10 May 1986 (WDR)
SUMMER—1 in female/imm. plumage, Ozark, Johnson Co., as late as 28 Jun 1992 (TF)
Documentation: Specimen—ad. female, 2 miles n. of Cobden, Union Co., 30 Mar 1966 (SIU A-1678).
Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea
Status and abundance: Very rare winter resident.
Habitat: Weedy fields and residential areas with feeders.
Records and remarks: Erratic visitors from extreme northern North America, redpolls reach southern Illinois only in major flight years. They may be found mixed in with flocks of siskins or goldfinches visiting feeders for sunflower or thistle seed. They also have been found in weedy fields. Observers are encouraged to archive photos in eBird, in part because male House Finches, which redpolls superficially resemble, may be misidentified as redpolls.
1, s. Saline Co., 26 Nov, 6 & 12 Dec 2020 (C. and T. DeNeal)
1, Carbondale, Jan and Feb 1981 (HD)
1, Murphysboro, 15-25 Jan 1982 (D. Telschow)
2, se. Jackson Co., Feb 1982 (WDR)
1, Jackson Co., 20 Feb 1976 (BP)
Documentation: Photo--https://ebird.org/checklist/S77155835.
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Status and abundance: Very rare migrant and winter visitor. Recently noted as a locally uncommon summer resident.
Habitat: Cone-bearing coniferous trees, especially Short-leaf Pine.
Records and remarks: An irruptive species, Red Crossbills are rarely encountered in southern Illinois even during years in which they are wandering the continent. It is unclear why this is, but formerly it was thought to be a result of poor coverage by birders of pine woodlands in the Shawnee Hills. Since about 2022, however, efforts to thin formerly dense stands of Short-leaf and Loblolly Pines in the eastern Shawnee National Forest (especially Hardin, Massac and Pope counties), has attracted Red Crossbills (M. Vukovich; plus many records on eBird). Some have stayed to breed as evidenced by nests discovered and photographed by M. Vukovich. Several call types have been detected (confirmed by sound recordings are types 1, 2, 3 and 4) but only type 2 has been confirmed breeding as of April, 2024.
Red Crossbills normally travel in small, tight flocks, uttering distinctive paired flight call notes. North American Red Crossbills are currently divided into 11 types, all of which have different flight call notes (Cassia Crossbill, former type 9, has been elevated to species level). Some of the differences in calls are very subtle and require sound recordings to distinguish among them by inspecting spectrograms, visual depictions of sounds. Recordings made with a smartphone and a recording app, such as Voice Record Pro, are normally adequate to produce identifiable recordings. Types can generally not be identified visually from photos. Observers are encouraged to obtain voice recordings of any crossbills encountered in southern Illinois so we can determine what type they represent. Widespread invasions across the central and eastern United States in 2017 and 2020 resulted in several reports for our region, then regular appearances occurred when thinning of the Short-leaf Pine stands simulated remaining trees to produce cones.
Historical records are reported here. Check eBird for the most current records and locations.
AUTUMN—1, Carbondale, 24 Oct-14 Nov 1981 (M. Mlodinow, SO)
4, Little Grassy Lake, Jackson Co., 2 Nov 1975 (BP)
1 female found dead, Crab Orchard NWR, 1 Dec 1954 (Brewer 1958)
2, Devil’s Kitchen Lake, 10 Nov 2017 (K. Wiktor) and 8 there, 2 Dec 2017 (DM)
5, Little Grassy Lake, 23 Nov 2017 (HD)
4, Ferne Clyffe SP, 1 Dec 2017 (K. Wiktor) and 7 there, 3 Dec 2017 (K. Rohling)
10, Waters Cemetery, Hardin Co., 10 Dec 2020 (M. Vukovich), with up to 25 detected by multiple observers into late Dec.
WINTER—Sometimes Red Crossbills will visit feeders for sunflower or thistle seeds.
4, Hamilton Co. SFWA, 17 Dec 2020 (C. Dobson)
5, Crab Orchard NWR; 20 Dec 1981-18 Jan 1982 (M. Mlodinow, m.ob.)
4, Pounds Hollow, Gallatin Co., 9 Feb 1988 (WDR)
SPRING—35, Crab Orchard NWR, 10 Mar 1973 (VK)
2, Campus Lake, Carbondale, 6 Apr 2018 (R. Gerdes; https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S44300388)
1, Devil's Kitchen Lake, Williamson Co., 10 Apr 1988 (WDR)
2, Crab Orchard NWR, 3 May 1976 (BP)
Documentation: Specimen—ad. male, 2 miles n. of Cobden, Union Co., 14 Nov 1966 (SIU A-1405).
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Status and abundance: Very rare migrant and winter visitor.
Habitat: Cone-bearing coniferous trees, especially hemlocks.
Records and remarks: An irruptive migrant that reaches southern Illinois only in major flight years. Apparently, the last flight year sufficiently extensive to reach southern Illinois was the winter of 1976-77. Most sightings are of individuals or small flocks foraging in hemlocks, sweet gums, or other small-coned coniferous trees. Although they sometimes associate with Red Crossbills, they usually remain in separate flocks.
AUTUMN—1, Little Grassy Lake, Jackson Co., 9 Nov 1975 (BP)
WINTER—7, Crab Orchard NWR, 7 Dec 1975 (BP)
1, Little Grassy Lake, 1 Jan 1976 (BP)
6, Trails of Tears SF, Union Co., 2 Jan 1976 (P. Biggers)
5, 2 miles n. of Cobden, Union Co., 7 Feb 1966 (WGG)
SPRING—1, Carbondale, 3 Mar 1974 (TM)
Documentation: Specimen—male, 2 miles n. of Cobden, Union Co., 1 Feb 1966 (SIU A-1406).
Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
Late October - Early May
Status and abundance: Fairly common migrant and winter resident. Very rare summer visitor.
Habitat: Woodland edge, weedy fields, sunflower plantations, and residential areas with feeders.
Records and remarks: Numbers vary widely from year to year. At least a few occur every year, but they can be very scarce at times. They often associate with flocks of goldfinches, so are easily overlooked amidst the other finches, but the distinctive voices of siskins should alert observers to their presence. Indeed, many sightings are made by hearing a flock of siskins calling as they fly overhead. In addition to taking thistle and sunflower seeds at feeders, siskins commonly eat seeds from sweet-gum balls. Numbers may be declining over time. Few large flocks have been reported in recent years. As yet, we have no confirmation of breeding in the region.
AUTUMN—Most siskins do not arrive until well into October. Because of the winter population,
fall departure dates are difficult to determine.
1, Rend Lake, Jefferson Co., 24 Sep 1989 (WDR)
WINTER—Large flocks may visit feeders or be found in sunflower fields with goldfinches. During winter, siskins seem to be more numerous in the Shawnee Hills than in the other divisions.
SPRING—The start of spring migration is obscured by the wintering birds but seems to begin by late March. Peak numbers occur in April, and most birds have departed by early May. A few linger into late May.
150, Harrisburg, Saline Co., 10 Apr 1987 (JD)
1, Pomona, 25 May 1985 (VK)
1, Cairo, Alexander Co., 26 May 1988 (WDR)
1, Union Co. CA, 5 Jun 2001 (SB)
1, Trail of Tears SF, Union Co., 7 Jun 1981 (M. Mlodinow)
Documentation: Specimen—imm. female, 2 miles n. of Cobden, Union Co., 6 Nov 1969 (WGG 2321).
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
Status and abundance: Common year-round resident.
Habitat: Shrubby fields, residential areas with feeders, sunflower
plantations, and woodland edge.
Records and remarks: Nomadic flocks of goldfinches wander through the region during fall, winter, and spring. The pattern and destination of their movements is difficult to decipher.
Goldfinches are most sedentary during late summer, when they are breeding, but at other times of year, they seem to be constantly on the move.
SUMMER—Few nesting data are available for the region, partially because they nest so late in summer. Nest initiation begins in mid- to late June, and young may still be in the nest during September. Nests are usually placed in a vertical fork of a branch on a small tree. Nests are well constructed and lined with thistle-down. Goldfinches are sometimes parasitized by cowbirds, but the impact has not been quantified. They may largely escape parasitism because they breed well after the peak of the cowbird nesting season.
AUTUMN—Little is known about the fall migration, because goldfinches are so common during both summer and winter. Flocks are encountered during September, however, so migration may begin by then.
WINTER—Winter flocks regularly visit feeders for sunflower and thistle seed, sometimes in large numbers. The largest counts are made where fields of sunflower plants are present. Typical daily high counts during winter in excellent habitat can exceed 250 birds.
SPRING—The beginning of spring migration is obscured by the winter population. Northward movements probably begin by mid-April. Adult male goldfinches acquire full breeding plumage by early April and begin singing vigorously then, usually from the tops of trees, even in extensive forest. Because the breeding season begins so late, it is quite possible that spring migration extends well into May or even into early June.
Documentation: Specimen—ad. male, Belknap, Johnson Co., 19 Feb 1961 (SIU A-1195).
Family Calcariidae
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Early November - Late March
Status and abundance: Locally uncommon migrant and winter resident in the Floodplains and the Till Plain. Rare migrant in the Shawnee Hills.
Habitat: Large, fallow agricultural fields.
Records and remarks: Lapland Longspurs are sparrow-like finches and are often associated
with flocks of Horned Larks. They forage on the ground in barren agricultural fields. Longspurs can be difficult to see unless foraging on snow, but their distinctive call, which resembles the sound made when running a finger along the tines of a comb, alerts the keen observer to their presence.
AUTUMN—Single individuals flying overhead uttering their distinctive flight call are typically the first fall arrivals encountered. Although some may occasionally appear in October, most migrants do not begin arriving until November or December.
1, Rend Lake, 27 Oct 1985 (LH)
16, Crab Orchard NWR, 21 Nov 1989 (WDR)
WINTER—Numbers vary widely from year to year and seem to depend in large part on the amount of snow cover. Heavy snowfall causes birds to gather along roadsides, where they are more visible and easier to count.
300, near Dongola, 19 Dec 2016 (RR, DM)
1,200, Murphysboro, Jackson Co., 23 Dec 1951 (RB, JWH)
430, Horseshoe Lake CA, 28 Dec 1999 (KM)
5,000, w. Jackson Co., 8 Jan 1995 (BD, TF, JD)
160, Perry Co., 15 Feb 1986 (WDR)
SPRING—The spring retreat northward is inconspicuous. Most birds move back north as soon as the snow melts. A few are recorded each year into late March, but late departure dates vary
from year to year.
70, Rend Lake, Jefferson Co., 4 Mar 1988 (TF)
2, near Culp, Williamson Co., 25 Mar 2015 (JG)
Documentation: Photograph—6, Kaskaskia Island, Randolph Co., 19 Feb 2015 (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S24581195).
Smith's Longspur Calcarius pictus
Early March - Early April
Early November – Late November
Status and abundance: Very rare migrant.
Habitat: Large short-grass fields and fallow agricultural areas.
Records and remarks: An elusive species that may very well be more common than the few records indicate. Small single-species groups tend to forage in the middle of extensive fields, so they can be easily overlooked without doing a lot of walking through otherwise birdless habitats. They seem to have a preference for patches of short vegetation that have been flattened by being submerged under ephemeral pools of rainwater. The primary migration route is through the Great Plains, so they should be somewhat more numerous in the western counties.
SPRING—Many more records for spring than fall, as is the case for the entire state (Bohlen 1989).
9, Nason, Rend Lake, Jefferson Co., 10 Feb 1991 (WDR, TF, BD)
2, West Jacob Rd., Jackson Co., 24 Feb 2015 (JT)
7, Massac Co., 4 Mar 2001 (FB)
6, Perry Co., 6-10 Mar 1986 (TF, R. Butler)
1, Pyramid SP, 12 Mar 2012 (TH)
1, Rend Lake, Jefferson Co., 20 Mar 1976 (BP)
3, near Perks, Pulaski Co., 8 Apr 1992 (TF, JD)
AUTUMN—2, Valmeyer, Randolph Co., 14 Nov 1971 (Bohlen1978)
Documentation: Written description—6, Perry Co., 6-10 Mar 1986 (m.ob.).
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Late November - Early February
Status and abundance: Very rare winter resident.
Habitat: Large agricultural fields, pastures, and extensive rocky shorelines of lakes.
Records and remarks: A species of the Arctic, Snow Buntings occur in southern Illinois only irregularly. A few can sometimes be found during severe winters, especially when heavy snow forces many birds up along roadsides. Small flocks of buntings may associate with Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs, but they form single-species flocks just as commonly. Few buntings winter south of Illinois, so the first fall arrivals and the last spring departures are likely to be birds that overwintered in or near southern Illinois.
7, Rend Lake, Franklin Co., 30 Nov 1975 (BP)
2, Rend Lake, Jefferson Co., 29 Nov 1987-early Jan 1988 (TF, m.ob.)
3, Alexander Co., 29 Dec 2005 (KMc)
1, near Jacob, Jackson Co., 31 Dec 2015 (T. Wolff)
1, Johnson Co., 7 Jan 1996 (DK)
1, w. Jackson Co., 8 Jan 1995 (BD)
1, West Jacob Rd., Jackson Co., 26 Jan 2017 (JT)
5, Jackson Co., 31 Jan 2009 (LS)
1, near Grand Tower, 2 Feb 2017 (DM)
5, Carbondale, 7 Feb 1982 (M. Mlodinow)
Documentation: Provisional acceptance.