The American Goldfinch
One Feather at a Time — Ep. 7
The American Goldfinch is one of the easiest birds to spot during summer. Males are bright yellow with black caps, and their flight has a distinct up-and-down motion that’s easy to recognize once you’ve seen it a few times.
American Goldfinch
They tend to show up in open areas like gardens, fields, and roadsides. I usually spot them on tall grasses and feeders in parks close by.
Their nesting season starts later than most birds—mainly in July or August. That timing matches the peak of seed-producing plants, which is useful since their diet is almost entirely seeds. Even their young are raised on seeds, which isn’t very common.
Females build the nest, often placing it in shrubs or small trees. The male brings food while the female incubates the eggs. Photographing goldfinches can be tricky. They move fast, perch high, and don’t usually stay in one spot long. Most of my photos came from feeders in parks, on tall grass next to bycicle trails, and perching in branches on spring in one of my favourite locations, the Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
In fall and winter, their bright colors fade to olive-brown tones. They’re still around, and their flight style and body shape make them fairly easy to identify, even without the summer colors.
