The American Goldfinch

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Ranked #661 in Animals, #17,230 overall

A Delightful Bird to Watch

Offer thistle seed in your birdfeeder and the American Goldfinch just might stop by for a visit. It is beautiful songbird dressed in bright yellow feathers. Even a novice backyard birder can identify it. The finch is a song bird, and American Goldfinch is no exception. Its musical warbles and twitters are easy to distinguish from the songs of other songbirds.

I rarely see the Goldfinch here on the coast as the heat and humidity is so intense, but when I visit my mother in Minnesota it is not uncommon to see ten or more Goldfinch at a time clinging to her birdfeeder, and singing up a storm.

Shall I sing for you?

Description 

The American Goldfinch is a small bird, just 4-5 inches in length. It has a small conical beak which is pink most of the year. The shape and size of the beak aid in the extraction of seeds from seed heads of thistles and sunflowers, the mainstay of the American Goldfinch's diet.

During the mating season the male goldfinch has a bright yellow body, black wings with white stripes, a white rump, and a black cap on its head. Its beak turns a bright orange after the spring molt signaling the start of mating season. The female's coloring is a dull greenish yellow. After molting its beak matches the male's.

Range and Habitat 

The American Goldfinch's winter and breeding range includes the southern parts of Canada and most of the continental United States. The northern birds will migrate south, but the American Goldfinch can be seen along the coasts and in the midlands year round.

Mating and Nesting Habits 

The American Goldfinch breeds mid to late summer when the seeds are plentiful rather than early spring. Consequently they only raise one brood a year. As with many birds, the courtship rituals include singing and aerial maneuvers. The aerial display starts with the male in hot pursuit of the female. The female evades him by flying in a zigzag pattern through their territory. Once she's determined that the male is fit enough, they fly in circles together with the male warbling throughout the flight.

The male takes up sentry duty while the female builds a cup-shaped nest in a fork of a tree or bush. The nest is made of plant fibers and bark taking close to a week to build. The female then lays a clutch of four to six eggs and incubates them for about two weeks. The hatchlings are ready to leave the nest within 10 to 14 days.

The immature American Goldfinch is a dull brown with a pale yellow underside. Their shoulders and tail are black, and the markings on their wings and rump are buff-colored rather than white. By their first spring they're sporting their true colors.

Voice 

The American Goldfinch is a warbler. Its musical song includes a series of per-chik-o-ree, per-chik-o-ree, per-chik-o-ree's.
Listen to the song of the American Goldfinch: Sound Byte: Goldfinch, National Park Service

Common Birds and Their Songs 

by Lang Elliott



Common Birds and Their Songs (Book and Audio CD)

This book-audio package provides a unique introduction to fifty of the most familiar birds of North America and the songs they sing. Common Birds and Their Songs will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert. It's the perfect gift for any birder - or anyone with a bird feeder.

Diet 

The American Goldfinch's diet consists of a wide variety of seeds. The thistle seed is the seed of choice, but it will consume the seeds of dandelions, ragweed, mullein, and sunflowers as well. Using its long legs and claws, the Goldfinch will perch on top of the plant and strip the seed-head clean. They rarely feed at birdfeeders when there are plants around to forage through, but it will readily take a handout in the winter. Add thistle seed to the mix in the winter and they're bound to come around.

Remarks 

The backyard birder can attract the American Goldfinch by offering Nyjer thistle seed in birdfeeders, or by planting grasses or flowers that produce seed heads such as zinnias, cosmos and globe thistles. The American Goldfinch is a delight to watch and whatever efforts are needed to entice it into visiting your backyard habitat will be well worth the effort.

The Nikon Monarch Binoculars 

Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars


Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars

Great Bird Watching Binoculars

The waterproof, fog-free Nikon binoculars are perfect for outdoor use. Bright, beautifully defined images are delivered by superior quality, multilayer coated lense.O-ring seals and nitrogen gas provide added resistance to the effects of changes in climate, while the durable design and rubber armoring ensure reliable performance and a comfortable grip, even during prolonged use. Worry-free viewing of the great outdoors.

Peterson's Field Guide to Birds 

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)

Amazon Price: $16.38 (as of 11/25/2009)Buy Now

An absolute must have for anyone with a birdfeeder and an interest in watching the birds.

Attracting Birds to Your Backyard 

What interesting birds have you seen lately? 

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About the Author 

Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 3,949 lenses, favorited 445, and has created 197 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses

America's 100 Most Wanted Birds 

America's 100 Most Wanted Birds

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/25/2009)Buy Now

If you want to see a gyrfalcon or a fork-tailed flycatcher, this resource might be your best help in spotting them. Mostly for serious birders intent on adding species to their life lists, America's 100 Most Wanted Birds provides detailed strategies for locating 100 of the most uncommon-to-rare bird species in the United States.

Resources used to build this page. 

Dunn, J.L. & Alderfer, J., Editors. 2006. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition. National Geographic Society.

Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Chipper Woods Bird Observatory
American Goldfinch, Nature Works
Seattle Audubon Society

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