American goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

The American goldfinch is a small North American passerine bird of the finch family. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to North Carolina during the breeding season, and from just south of the Canadian border to Mexico during the winter.

Identification

The American goldfinch is a small finch with a small head, long wings, and short notched tail. They have a short, conical bill that is pink for most of the year, but turns bright orange with the spring molt in both sexes.

Adult Male

The adult male in spring and early summer (breeding plumage) is a vibrant yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail. In winter they are drab, unstreaked brown-olive, with blackish wings and two pale wingbars.

Adult Female

The adult female is a duller yellow underneath, olive above which brightens only slightly during the summer. Dark, blackish wings with pale wingbars.

Gallery

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Species

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates, sea squirts)

Class: Aves (birds)

Order: Passeriformes (perching birds)

Family: Fringillidae (finches)

Pine siskin (Carduelis pinus)

Lesser goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)

Cassin's finch (Carpodacus cassinii)

House finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus)

American goldfinch (Spinus tristis)