American Goldfinch

Description:

Body entirely bright lemon yellow with white undertail coverts. Jet black cap. Black wings with yellow lesser coverts and narrow white tips to greater coverts, forming 2 white wing bars along with white edging to the tertials. White inner webs to most of the tail feathers. Pink, conical bill. Breeding female: very different from male. Underparts very yellow with white undertail coverts, while upperparts, including head, olive green. Lower wing bar buffy and quite wide. Tail feathers with white tips and inner webs. Bill pinkish. Winter male: cinnamon brown above and on breast and flanks, with white lower belly and undertail coverts, yellowish wash on throat and face, and muted black on forehead. Wings more boldly patterned. Yellow lesser coverts. Wide, whitish lower wing bar. Bill darker than in breeding season. Winter female: mostly drab gray body with black wings and 2 bold buffy wing bars. White undertail coverts and edging to tail feathers. Dark bill. Immature male: black on forehead reduced or lacking. Lesser coverts duller. Juvenile: resembles adult female.

Habitat:

Inhabits all of the low 48 states of America.

Notes:

State Bird of Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington