The male American
Goldfinch is brilliant yellow in colouring with contrasting black cap, wings
and upper side of the tail. White wing
bars further add to his fetching attire.
The lady of the species and juveniles are
a duller olive colour and the females lack the black caps sported by the males. The males trade in their cheerful yellow
plumage for colourings similar to the rest of the family when winter descends
upon the Earth.
It is perhaps the cheerfulness of these
little birds which come to our bird feeders in flocks which endears them to us.
They like black oil sunflower seeds but they are especially partial to Nyjer
black thistle seed. Goldfinches are
referred to in bird guides as “gregarious”.
I
once had a flock of fifty or more birds come to my feeder during a snow storm
but this was an exception and not the rule.
They may have been migrating southward en masse as the bitter chill of
winter was being forecasted. Goldfinches
will often flock with Pine Siskins when migrating. Usually these dear little birds arrive in
small flocks in high spirits which is evident in their series of trills.
The goldfinch trills to his heart’s
content. His call however, is heard in
flight. We have noticed that his anticipation of the bird baths being cleaned
and filled with fresh water has him circling and repeating his undulating (on
the musical scale) call which is described in one bird guide as “per-chik-o-ree”*.
Gold finches nest late in the season and
gather the down of a thistle to line their nests. The female incubates three to six bluish-white
eggs in a cup-shaped nest for two weeks.
In another two weeks the fledglings are fending for themselves.
While hiking along The Rugged Path, I
have espied Goldfinches at the great Scotch thistle. Many bird guides picture Goldfinches perched
atop the purple flower of the thistle.
Their Latin name for the lovely little
bird is Carduelis tristis.
They are marvelous creatures, friendly . Long may they continue to grace, fields and
orchards and backyard birdfeeders over nearly the entire continent of North
America.
Kerry Trout in her wonderful book Decorative
Mini Murals you can paint, North Light Books, c. 2002 incorporates the Goldfinch atop a purple
thistle as subject matter.
You can check out more of her work at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/kerry-trout.html
*National Geographic Field Guide to the
Birds of North America
