Last updated on April 28th, 2023 at 11:44 pm
American Goldfinches are common birds in the United States, and they’re lively birds to watch. They make great subjects for any birder.
Here are 10 important American Goldfinch facts for bird watchers:
1. Do American Goldfinches Change Color?
American Goldfinches change color depending on the time of year.
Adult males have bright yellow plumage, a black forehead, and white markings in the spring and early summer, and adult females have dull yellow and olive plumage.
Both females and males shed their colored plumage for a pale brown feathered look in the winter and fall.
Editor’s Note: I’ve written a fully fleshed out article that covers the types of birds that change color.
2. Where Can You Find the American Goldfinch?
You can find the American Goldfinch in fields and floodplains, especially in areas that are overgrown with plants like thistle and aster.
Sunflowers are also a popular food choice for the American Goldfinch and can attract them to an area.
American Goldfinches are also common in developed areas like backyards and suburbs, especially where feeders are present.
These birds are attracted to a wide range of seeds, including the following:
- Nyjer
- Thistle
- Sunflower
- Red cedar
- Elm
- Grasses
- Aster
3. What Do American Goldfinch Nests Look Like?
American Goldfinch nests are about 3” across and 2”-4.5” high. The females build the nest, using small branches and tightly winding them together.
They then line and seal them together with spider silk and the downy “pappus” material from the seedheads of the plants they feed on.
You can find American Goldfinch nests tucked inside shrubs and saplings, usually near a clearing rather than deep inside a forest.
These birds like to be near an open area and high up in the shrub or tree, not close to the ground.
Typically, the nest will be near where two or three branches come together in a small crevice shaded by leaves.
One way to find American Goldfinch nests is to watch for the parents flying back to the nest.
American Goldfinch parents split childcare evenly, with the mother incubating the egg and the father going out and bringing back food.
As the young grow older, the females start leaving and bringing back food, and then eventually the work falls just on the male again.
An American Goldfinch nest is home to about 2-7 pale blue eggs.
They incubate for about two weeks before hatching, then live in the nest for about another two weeks after that.
4. Do American Goldfinches Migrate?
American Goldfinches migrate every year. They live in southern Canada during the breeding season and the southern United States during the winter.
However, there are regions of the upper United States where they can be found year-round. These regions are places with more temperate climates.
5. How Can You Tell Different Goldfinch Types Apart?
The American Goldfinch is one of three goldfinch types in the United States.
The American Goldfinch is the most widespread of the three, and it’s the only one found on the eastern side of the country.
It has a yellow and black pattern to its feathers and is more brightly colored in the spring and summer than in the winter.
The Lesser Goldfinch, one of the other kinds of goldfinch, has more black in its back and tail than the American Goldfinch, as well as some green.
The Lawrence’s Goldfinch, the third kind of goldfinch, has grey feathers with just a touch of gold and a black-feathered face.
6. What Does the American Goldfinch Sound Like?
The American Goldfinch is known for its song. They sing as they fly to communicate with each other, and they have several different calls.
The most common American Goldfinch song goes something like po-ta-to-chip, a lively twitter interspersed with trills and swee sounds.
See the following example of an American Goldfinch’s call:
Interestingly, American Goldfinches that are in pairs have identical calls to their partners.
7. Do American Goldfinches Live in Colonies?
American Goldfinches live in loose colonies. Each mating pair technically has its own territory, but the territories are close enough to be considered a kind of colony.
This makes all of the goldfinches safer from predators than they’d be if they were more isolated.
They can communicate and warn each other when predators come too close.
8. When Is the Breeding Season for American Goldfinches?
American Goldfinches breed in June or July, later than most birds in North America.
This is because June or July is when their favorite food sources, such as milkweed or thistle, are available and produce seeds.
You’ll notice that American Goldfinches change color and migrate earlier in the year, during the spring and early summer, in preparation for the breeding season.
9. How Do American Goldfinches Eat Upside Down?
Because American Goldfinches can eat upside down, they’re able to access food that other birds can’t, like hard-to-reach sunflower seeds.
They can do this because of their agility within their feet and bill and because their bodies are lightweight.
Some bird feeders are built to service birds who eat upside down, like the Perky-Pet Thistle Feeder from Amazon.
This feeder is specifically made to serve goldfinches, and it’s well-suited to hold thistle seed.
It’s designed so that they can access the seed upside-down, and is weather-resistant, so the seed stays fresh.
Editor’s Note: We’ve devoted an entire article on the topic of types of birds that eat upside down.
10. Are American Goldfinches Threatened?
American Goldfinches are not threatened. In fact, human development has benefited the American Goldfinch in many ways.
Deforestation has created more open areas with weedy, grassy plants that they can feed on, and gardens and feeders provide what they need.
That said, there are some dangers in the wild for American Goldfinches, even though they don’t threaten the population on a large scale.
These threats include predation from cats, poison via pesticide ingestion, and collision with glass windows, cars, and wind turbines.