American goldfinch

American goldfinch, (Spinus tristis), small acrobatic songbird native to North America. Males are known for their distinctive, bright yellow plumage that contrasts with their black tail, cap, and wings. They are also known for their call, a vocalization that sounds like “po-ta-to-chip” or “perchicoree-perchicoree.” Owing to the presence of a mournful note in their song, the species name is tristis, which is the Latin word for “sad.” Most classifications place American goldfinches in the family Fringillidae, along with grosbeaks and canaries. The species has long been popular among birders and wildlife enthusiasts, and in the United States it is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington.

The American goldfinch is found throughout the contiguous United States and southern Canada, along Mexico’s Gulf coast, in The Bahamas, and on other islands in the Caribbean Sea. It lives in a host of habitats, including open fields, floodplains, cultivated areas, urban and suburban areas, orchards, and roadsides. Migration takes place in the middle of autumn and early springtime, although some individuals remain in their summer habitats throughout the colder months if food is plentiful.

Natural history

Fully grown adult birds measure 11–13 cm (4.3–5.1 inches) in length and weigh 11–20 grams (0.4–0.7 ounce). Plumage coloration in males varies according to the season. In the winter both sexes resemble one another, with males and females clothed in relatively drab feathers of brown, olive, and muted yellow-green. In the springtime, however, the male’s plumage brightens to yellow, which contrasts with the black on the tail, cap, and wings (see also sexual dimorphism).

American goldfinches are granivorous, and they consume seeds from woody plants (such as elm, birch, and alder), weeds and grasses, and flowers (such as dandelions and sunflowers). Some individuals have been observed eating pine cones. They also dine on berries, buds, bark, sap, and insects. Their strong bills allow them to split seeds, and American goldfinches are adept at using their legs to maneuver up and down plants while feeding. Because seeds are more plentiful in the late-summer months, the bird’s nesting period ranges from late July to September to coincide with a steady food supply.

More From Britannica

Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?

Predators of American goldfinches include weasels, blue jays, kestrels, garter snakes, and domestic cats. Several birds are also killed each year by poisons and vehicle strikes. A brown-headed cowbird will sometimes parasitize an American goldfinch nest by depositing an egg therein, hoping that the nest’s owners will raise the cowbird as their own; however, the young cowbird perishes within a few days because it cannot survive on a diet of seeds.

American goldfinches do not mate for life. They are serially monogamous, with pairs remaining together for the duration of the breeding season; however, some females will mate with more than one male. During courtship, males sing and perform a fluttering display in flight. Females construct nests made of plant down, plant fibers, and spiderwebs in a shrub or tree at least 4.6 meters (15 feet) above the ground.

Male goldfinches search for food to provision their mates during the nesting period. Females deposit a clutch of two to seven bluish white eggs and incubate them until they hatch 15 days later. Chicks hatch without feathers and are fed a diet primarily of regurgitated seeds and some insects. Young learn to fly about 14 days after they hatch and can disperse; however, males and females continue to feed their young for up to five weeks. Both sexes become sexually mature at 11 months of age, and their life expectancy in the wild ranges from 3 to 11 years.

Conservation status

The American goldfinch is listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) because of the species’ vast range and large population. Bird surveys estimate the American goldfinch population to be between 43 million and 44 million birds, and they note that the population is likely increasing. There are no notable threats to the species, and the bird’s protection is regulated by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which forbids the illegal hunting, capture, sale or trade, and transport of protected migratory birds.