American Goldfinch

Species Details

This small, canary-yellow, and black bird varies in color depending on the season: In winter the yellow becomes dull olive. Like many birds, females look similar but have more subdued plumage. A prolific seed-eater, they breed late in the summer, in time to use thistledown for nest material and seeds as food for the young. Like the bluebird, it is easy to spot in open fields, but it can be seen in flight or in treetops, singing like a canary, punctuated with “potato-chip” and “zay-zeee” calls.