Interesting American Goldfinch Facts
1. The American Goldfinch can be easily detected by its bright yellow color and black cap as well as its roller coaster flying motion.
2. Like most North American birds, this member of the finch of fringillidae family feeds mostly on seeds especially the renowned sunflower seed.
3. The American Goldfinch is a small bird about 4.5 inches long much like the size of a sparrow.
4. This bird is known to be the only member of the finch family that sheds off all its feathers twice in a single year including during the breeding season.
5. Both the male and female birds develop an almost identical color after a complete molting during the fall.
6. One can distinguish the male American Goldfinch because it is the one having the canary yellow plumage and jet black cap. The female is olive yellow on her neck and breast during summer.
7. The young American Goldfinches assume a different color. During their first autumn and winter, they are colored wood brown with buffy wing markings and light black shoulders.
8. During courtship, one can detect the female because of its zigzag flying motion while being chased by males.
9. The female also does the nest building with the male contributing the nesting materials and watching over her nearby. He may also sing and call his mate during the actual nest construction process.
10. Did you know that the female even weaves the nest so tight using spider web silk that it can be filled with water unless she shields their abode with her wings?
11. Unlike most birds, the American Goldfinches breed a little late from July to September each year.
12. Although monogamous, the female bird may leave her nest and look for a new mate to start another brood.
13. While some species of the finch family use their feet or never at all when eating, the American Goldfinch uses its feet most of the time when feeding.
14. These birds are also acrobatic in that they can eat upside down from a sunflower one moment and then eat standing upright the next. This dexterity trait with their foot and bill allows these birds to benefit from other food sources which are otherwise not accessible to other birds.
15. One would also know that this bird is panicky when it feeds in a rush fashion and gain weight before and during a storm.
16. Goldfinches prefer to stay in open spaces like farms, orchards, gardens and in the suburbs.
Related American Goldfinch Articles
Click to learn more about The American Goldfinch
Click to learn more about The American Goldfinch Nesting Preferences
Click to learn more about Building a Birdhouse For The American Goldfinch
Click to learn more about The American Goldfinch Mating Habits
Click to learn more about The American Goldfinch Feeding Preferences