American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Aves › Passeriformes › Fringillidae › Spinus
Conservation status: least_concern
The American Goldfinch is a small finch with a bright yellow body and black wings marked with white bars, making it one of the most colorful birds in North America. Unlike most birds, it molts twice a year, switching from its vibrant breeding plumage to a duller olive-brown winter coat, which can make it seem like a different species entirely.
How To Identify
Males sport a striking, bright lemon-yellow plumage when breeding, while non-breeding males appear duller brown or gray. They have small bodies and characteristic stout bills perfect for handling seeds.
Habitat
They inhabit open woodlands, meadows, weedy fields, and suburban gardens across North America, preferring areas with seed-bearing plants like thistles and sunflowers.
Behaviour
American Goldfinches perform an undulating, bouncy flight pattern while giving their distinctive per-chick-o-ree call, and they often feed in small flocks on thistle seed heads.
Did You Know?
The American goldfinch is the only finch in its subfamily to undergo a complete molt, showing different colors for males and females depending on the season.
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