Taxonomy/Description

American Goldfinch are passerines in the Fringillidae family which groups them together with Finches. The American Goldfinch is a common and widely distributed species in temperate North America. They are dichromatic which means that males and females have different appearances. Males are bright yellow with a black cap and wings with white wing bars. They have a white rump and undertail coverts. Female American Goldfinches have greenish upperparts and yellow underparts. Both sexes have a short conical bill that is used to eating seeds.

photo Michael Noonan

Habitat/Diet

American Goldfinches are very common perching birds. They winter in the southern United States and northern Mexico, breed in central Canada and are found year-round in nearly all of the United States. American Goldfinches prefer weedy and grassy fields that are characteristic of early successional growth. They are also found near roadsides, orchards and cultivated lands. They are found year-round in the WNY area.

American Goldfinches eat the seeds of many annual plants. They prefer Composites and small seeds of various trees such as: alder, birch, cedar and elm. They are very commonly seen at birdfeeders and prefer black thistle but will eat sunflower seeds. American Goldfinches will only eat insects if they are enountered.

Behavior/Reproduction  

Goldfinches have a monogamous mating system and usually have 2 broods per season. Males will show a song-flight on level flight, rather than typical undulating flight, and will rapidly flap his wings. The female builds a cup shaped nest in a fork in tree branches. It is woven so tightly that it can often hold water. Females will lay 4-6 pale blue eggs and incubate them for 10-12 days. Asynchronous hatching progresses as breeding season continues. Young are altricial when hatched which means they are helpless, blind and immobile. Both parents will care for young until they are ready to fledge which is about 11-17 days after hatching. American Goldfinches are often victims of brood parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Vocalizations

The mnemonic for the song of the American Goldfinch is described as po-ta-to-chip.

Where to see them in WNY

American Goldfinches are fairly common in parks and backyards around WNY. They are very abundant in Forest Lawn Cemetery and Tift Nature Preserve.