The Eurasian siskin’s (Spinus spinus) name originates from a German dialect meaning "sweet child" – suess meaning "sweet" and kind meaning "child". The siskin is a lively little bird with a forked tail. It is a colourful member of the finch family with a distinctive yellow stripe on its black wings. Siskins occur from cold northern regions, worldwide, to the Cape of Good Hope and to Cape Horn, and is very common throughout Europe and Asia. Males and females are easily recognised with their overall green grey plumage, males are brighter than females – they look like miniature extra bright Greenfinches. Female Siskins are similar to males but lack the black cap and bib; breast is not as yellow and the rump duller and slightly streaked.
