The Goldfinch

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