Species

American goldfinch

Spinus tristis

A bright yellow finch in summer, olive in winter, which waits to nest until thistles go to seed.

Photo Unknown photographer (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)

Nesting

At a glance

Size: About 11 to 13 cm long
Weight: About 11 to 20 g
Habitat: Fields, weedy areas, gardens and feeders
Diet: Seeds, especially thistle, sunflower and other composites
In Georgia: Common all year; more in winter
Voice: A cheerful "po-ta-to-chip" in flight
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Male in summer: Bright yellow; black cap; black wings with white bars
Winter: Olive-brown with black wings and white wing bars
Told apart from: Pine siskin, which is streaked
Where to look: Feeders and weedy fields

Behaviour

American goldfinches nest late, in July and August, when thistles and other plants provide seeds and down for their nests. They are almost entirely vegetarian.

Why they matter

Goldfinches eat almost only seeds, even feeding them to their young. Brown-headed cowbird chicks raised by goldfinches rarely survive on this diet, which gives goldfinches unusual protection from cowbirds.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — A tight cup of plant down, so dense it can hold water
Eggs — Usually four to six
Incubation — About 12 to 14 days
Chicks — Fed seeds by both parents
Flight — At about 11 to 17 days
Lifespan — Several years

Living around people

Leaving seed heads of native flowers such as coneflowers and asters standing into autumn feeds them.

Misconceptions

Goldfinches leave in winter. They stay, but turn olive-brown.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Winter flocks	Flocks	Males moulting into yellow	Flocks	Pairs forming	Pairs	Nesting	Nesting	Young fledging	Moulting into winter plumage	Flocks	Flocks

Where it lives

Recorded in 58 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

If you found one

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