American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), sometimes called the "Wild Canary", is a year-round resident in most of the northern two-thirds of the United States, and yet it displays a summer plumage more typical of a bird of the neotropics: brilliant yellow body and jet black wings and forehead. Goldfinches are highly gregarious, feeding communally in summer on seeds and cones, and flocking in dozens to winter feeders in their drab, gray-brown winter plumage to eat thistle and sunflower seed. The American Goldfinch is a highly vocal bird, constantly twittering to each other, calling "sweet-sweet-sweet", and periodically, an ascending, slurred "tsee-eee". In summer, the Goldfinch sings a distinctive "ti-dee-dee-dee" synchronized with each undulation of its dipping flight.

Field Marks:

The breeding male Goldfinch's lemon yellow body, black forehead and wings, thin white wing bars, pink conical bill and notched tail are distinctive. The female and winter male show gray-brown in place of most of the yellow. (L 5 in.)

Distribution:

The American Goldfinch is a year-round resident from Nova Scotia to Georgia and west to the Pacific. It winters in the southern U.S. and along the Gulf Coast to Veracruz, Mexico, and it is a summer resident in the Dakotas, Montana, and Canada.

Similar Species:

	The Lesser Goldfinch in the western U.S and Mexico is smaller and has a somewhat heavier, dark bill, and black or olive back (all photos)
	Lawrence's Goldfinch   (all photos) The Lawrence's Goldfinch, found in parts of Arizona and California, is distinctly gray on its back and head.
	Pine Siskin  (Species account)  (all photos) The Pine Siskin winters in the Eastern and Central U.S. and often flocks with American Goldfinches. It has fine brown streaking with yellow highlights in the flight feathers, a sharp pencil-point bill and a buzzier ascending call "zreeee".

Habitat & Nesting:

The American Goldfinch nests in orchards and open areas in proximity to its preferred food: the seeds of elm, alder, and coniferous trees, thistles and other weeds.

More Information:

The Goldfinch uniquely delays its breeding cycle until the late summer (mid-August in the East), apparently to guarantee that it will have plenty of seed to feed its young.