Goldfinch is any of several small, short-tailed birds of North America and Europe known for prominent yellow feathers. The American goldfinch lives in the northern and central United States. People often call it the wild canary because of its yellow color and lovely song. It is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington. Other North American goldfinches include the lesser goldfinch, which lives from the southwestern United States through Central America, and Lawrence’s goldfinch, found in California, southern Arizona, and northern Mexico. The European goldfinch lives throughout Europe and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
The American goldfinch measures about 5 inches (13 centimeters) long. In summer, the male has a bright yellow body and a black patch on top of his head. In fall, he loses his boldly colored feathers, growing yellowish-olive body feathers. The female is olive-brown the year around. Like the male, she has more feathers in winter. Both the male and female have a black tail and black wings with white markings.
In summer, the American goldfinch flies as far north as southern Canada. During the winter, flocks reach south into Mexico, especially along the Gulf of Mexico. American goldfinches nest from July through September. They weave a tight, cup-shaped nest of plant fibers, thistle fuzz, and spider silk. The female lays from four to six bluish-white eggs and sits on them almost constantly until they hatch. The male feeds the female and provides most of the chicks’ food. American goldfinches chiefly eat small seeds, including dandelion, birch, and elm.
Loading the player...American goldfinch
Both the male and the female European goldfinch have a red face, yellow wing patches, brownish bodies, and white undersides. Like their American counterparts, they feed mainly on small seeds. The male has a slightly longer and more pointed beak than the female. He can use it to pull teasel seeds from their protective heads more easily than can the female, so he tends to feed on the teasel plant wherever it occurs.
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European goldfinch
