Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Description:

This handsome little finch, the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington, is welcome and common at feeders, where it takes primarily sunflower and nyjer. Goldfinches often flock with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. Spring males are brilliant yellow and shiny black with a bit of white. Females and all winter birds are more dull but identifiable by their conical bill; pointed, notched tail; wingbars; and lack of streaking. During molts they look bizarrely patchy.

Habitat:

The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter.

Notes:

This is a baby that i found in my flower garden.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

No Comments

TinaProper
Spotted by
TinaProper

Athens Township, Pennsylvania, USA

Spotted on May 9, 2013
Submitted on May 9, 2013

Related Spottings

Eurasian Siskin Eurasian Siskin American Goldfinch American Goldfinch

Nearby Spottings

Sassafras tree Velvet leaf Elderberry tree Japanese beetle
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team