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American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Size: 5" (13 cm)
Male: Canary-yellow finch with a black forehead and tail. Black wings with white wing bars. White rump. No markings on the chest. Winter male is similar to the female.
Female: dull olive-yellow plumage with brown wings; lacks a black forehead
Juvenile: same as female
Nest: cup; female builds; 1 brood per year
Eggs: 4–6; pale blue without markings
Incubation: 10–12 days; female incubates
Fledging: 11–17 days; female and male feed the young
Migration: partial migrator to non-migrator; small flocks of up to 20 birds move around North America; small percentage in Maine will not migrate
Food: seeds, insects; comes to seed feeders
Compare: The male Yellow Warbler (p. 313) is yellow with orange streaks on its chest. The Pine Siskin (p. 107) has a streaked chest and belly and yellow wing bars. The female House Finch (p. 109) and female Purple Finch (p. 121) have heavily streaked chests.
Stan’s Notes: Common backyard resident. Most often found in open fields, scrubby areas, and woodlands. Enjoys Nyjer seed in feeders. Breeds in late summer. Lines its nest with the silky down from wild thistle. Almost always in small flocks. Twitters while it flies. Flight is roller coaster-like. Moves around to find adequate food during winter. Often called Wild Canary due to the male’s canary-colored plumage. Male sings a pleasant, high-pitched song.
