American Goldfinch

The brightest yellow you’ll ever see is the breeding plumage of the male American Goldfinch!

Latin name: Carduelis tristis

Length, wingspan: 5″, 9″

What they eat: Seeds from flower heads as well as purchased black-oil sunflower seeds and Nyjer thistle.

Plants that attract: Sunflowers, thistle, coneflowers (Echinacea), black-eyed Susans, bee balm (Monarda).

Where they nest: Trees and shrubs.

My observations: About the size of a sparrow, the American goldfinch has got to be my most favorite backyard bird! They have a sweet call that reminds me of porpoise squeaks. They also they get along well with other birds (other finches, Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls). And as you can see by the photos, the male’s breeding plumage is stunning. They are in my garden year-round. I’ve posted a lot of photos and videos of goldfinches and they are always a hit with my readers!

This is my most popular video of all time, with well over one million views! It illustrates the importance of leaving seed heads in the garden during the fall and winter months. That’s because the seeds are an important nutrition source for them. And who wouldn’t want to watch their antics as they hang upside-down from seed heads as they gather seeds?!

This second video gives you the opportunity to hear a male goldfinch singing:

In this final video, watch a goldfinch nibbling thistle seeds:

For more details about this bird, go to Cornell’s All About Birds website.

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