Many people have been stopping in to The Rock Pile lately and lamenting the annual loss of goldfinches from their feeders and yards. Ah, but they’re not gone! They’re just in their winter disguise, and a little trickier to identify now that they’re not dressed in bright yellows. Ohio is one of many states where the American Goldfinch is found year-round, and they molt more completely than any other bird in our area.
The American Goldfinch molt more completely than any other bird in our area.
The male turns a drab brown with just hints of the previous yellow and white wing bars. (His white undertail remains the same, like he changed clothes but kept the same underwear.) The female loses her “Come Hither Yellow” to become gray both above and below. Her wing bars become less distinct and her light-colored bill darkens. For both, the legs, feet, and bills dull to a dark grayish brown. So, given their quick-change, how can you identify them?
The male turns a drab brown with just hints of the previous yellow and white wing bars.
American Goldfinches fly in an undulating, roller-coaster-type pattern. They often enjoy belting out their call (which sounds a little like “po-ta-to chip”) on the upward stroke of the flight pattern: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/94301 Cornell Lab of Ornithology American Goldfinch call.
They LOVE thistle. Even in summer, when they’re eating the occasional juicy aphid, small seeds still dominate their diet. They are very nimble and acrobatic foragers, hanging easily at awkward angles to get to the seed.
Outside of the breeding season, goldfinches enjoy flocks and are often seen associating with Pine Siskins. They are fond of brushy, weedy, areas with short foliage and scattered deciduous trees. Open meadows and suburban gardens are some of their favorite places to be.
