American Goldfinch Look for the black forehead What to look for: bright canary-yellow bird with a black forehead, wings, and tail; female is olive-yellow and lacks a black forehead; winter male resembles the female Where you'll find them: open fields, scrubby areas, woodlands, backyards Calls and songs: male sings a pleasant high-pitched song; gives twitter calls during flight On the move: appears roller-coaster-like in flight What they eat: loves seeds and insects; comes to seed (especially thistle) feeders Nest: cup; builds its nest in late summer and lines the cup with the soft, silky down from wild thistle Eggs, chicks, and childcare: 4-6 pale blue eggs; Mom incubates the eggs and Dad pitches in to help her feed the babies Spends the winter: in Pennsylvania and southern states; flocks of up to 20 birds move around in winter to find food Stan's Cool Stuff The American Goldfinch is often called Wild Canary due to its canary-colored plumage. This feeder bird is almost always in small flocks, visiting thistle tube feeders that offer Nyjer seed. A late-nesting bird with most nesting in July through mid-September. Real Quick Size: 5" Nest: cup Feeder: tube or hopper Excerpted from The Kids' Guide to Birds of Pennsylvania: Fun Facts, Activities and 86 Cool Birds by Stan Tekiela All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
