See Many Additional Goldfinch Photos in the
Gallery
August
2009 - While taking lots of photos of babies in our backyard, I noticed
a band on the leg of the daddy goldfinch.
I
have no equipment to read or document information from banded birds. I deeply regret that I could not
send information back that this banded bird has successfully bred in
our backyard in upstate New York.
March
20, 2009 - Our motion activated camera caught lots of goldfinchs and
friends taking
flight. Until we set up the camera in this area I didn't realize
that these birds enjoy safflower seeds and the feed we use with the bigger birds in mind. I guess the real point is that birds are
pretty adaptable and will eat what interests them. So the moral is:
offer up what you have- they may not be as fussy as you think.
These bright yellow and not so yellow (female, of course) little
birds were one of the first guests when we decided to go into "business"
by putting up multiple feeders. Research soon led us to put
thistle seed (Nyjer ) into one of our tube feeders. The matching feeder
held regular finch seed. We soon added feed sacks too. These
are the one type of seed and feeder that our visiting black bear will
ignore.
It has been interesting to watch the male goldfinches molt into their
very dull winter wear. The reverse molting was not an
instantaneous process. For about a month, we could see
the males get brighter and brighter (starting with their necks).
It soon seemed like little pieces of sun flitting among the branches and
spring flowering bushes.
The females are at least consistent
if uninteresting in their protective drab olive feathers. The
juveniles, while similar to their mothers, seem a more cute, tan teddy
bear color. Their little fuzzy heads, curious expressions and awkward
movements are very endearing.
I have since begun to suspect that goldfinches aided greatly in
the death of a young cherry tree we planted (consistently snacking on the
little, tender leaves. Now I see those tricky birds eating the
gorgeous dark purple blooms on the new butterfly bushes. Maybe not so
endearing after all.
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Size:
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Length: 5 in
Weight: .45 oz Wingspan: 9 in
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ID:
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Male: Bright yellow with black cap, tail and wings (white
wing bars); white rump; short conical orange bill in summer and
silvery buff in winter; orange
feet are anisodactylous(three toes point forward and one toe
points backward); duller color in fall or winter.
Female and Juvenile: Pale yellow under parts, olive upper
parts. Juvenile has buffy color wing bars, female has
white wingbars
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Habitat:
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Forest, bushes, shrubs, parks, suburbs.
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Diet:
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Seeds (sunflower, nyjer), berries and may
unintentionally swallow an occasional insect; considered the
strictest vegetarian of all the birds
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Family Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous; semi-colonial; male engages in
aerial display of roller coaster flight; one brood per year;
late summer breeder
Nests: Cup shaped, vegetable fibers, lined with plant down;
caterpillar and spider webbing used to bind outer rim; nest in
leafy bushes and trees; built by female
Eggs: 4-6 plain bluish white; female incubates 10-12 days
Nestlings: 11-17 days; male and female feed
regurgitated seeds to young
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Social Activities:
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Small groups or flocks year round; tame; not territorial.
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Range:
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Breeding: Northern United States and Southern Canada
Winter: Same as breeding range but not in central and western
United States
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Vocalization:
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A succession of high pitched twitters and trills. Call sounds
like "per-chick-a-ree".
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Lifespan: |
Up to 11 years |
