Warblers, Sparrows, Finches & Blackbirds
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
A bright yellow finch that is a favorite at backyard feeders. It nests late in summer, when thistles and other plants are full of seed.
How to identify it
- Breeding male: bright lemon-yellow with a black cap
- Black wings with white bars
- Winter: dull olive-brown with black wings
- Bouncy, roller-coaster flight while calling "po-ta-to-chip"
SizeAbout the size of a Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadee4 in
American Goldfinch5 in
Song Sparrow6 in
American Robin10 in
6 inAverage length, bill to tail
Details
- Size
- 4.5–5 in long; wingspan 7.5–8.5 in
- Weight
- 0.4–0.7 oz
- Habitat
- Weedy fields, open woods, gardens and feeders
- When to see it
- Year-round across much of the US; winter in the far South
- Diet
- Seeds, especially thistle, sunflower and coneflower
Range in the United States
Life history
Food
Eats almost only seeds, especially from thistles, sunflowers, asters and coneflowers.
Nesting
A tight cup of plant fibers and thistle down, so well woven it can hold water.
- Clutch
- 2–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Young
- Fledge at about 11–17 days
- Broods
- 1–2 per year
Behavior
Nests late in summer when seeds are plentiful. Flies in a bouncy, roller-coaster path.
Conservation
Abundant and stable.
Cool facts
- It's one of the strictest vegetarians among birds.
- It molts twice a year, turning dull in winter and bright in spring.
- It's the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa and Washington.
Songs & calls
▶Bird sounds video coming soon
Watch the American Goldfinch
▶Video coming soon
