Next to Bluebirds and Hummingbirds the American Goldfinch is perhaps the most discussed bird at The Wood Thrush Shop. We’ve been getting a lot of Goldfinch comments of late. This finch is a year round species here in TN. Males, in their spring-summer breeding plumage, are bright yellow with a black forehead, black wings with white wingbars, and white patches above and below the tail. Adult females are duller yellow beneath, olive above. In winter both males and females are a drab olive, with hints of yellow, and the ever present black wings with pale wingbars.

Mostly what we hear from customers are questions, “where have the Goldfinches gone” or “why can I not attract Goldfinches”? As seemingly simple as these questions are there are no simple answers. Nor is there much we can suggest to help attract more Goldfinches. When it comes to attracting Goldfinches patience and understanding is important. So, why are Goldfinches so different from say, Chickadees or Cardinals? Goldfinches are an almost exclusively seed eater which means there is a ready food supply everywhere they go and in almost every season of the year. It also explains there preference for fields and meadows where there are lots of native seed producing plants. To further complicate matters Goldfinches are on the move much of the time. During the non-breeding seasons, winter, spring and fall, there are great movements by these birds which may explain their inconsistent presence at feeders. Many of us see more at the feeders in the winter when northern populations have come here to winter.

Goldfinches love a variety of seeds including sunflower, safflower, and Nyjer (thistle) at feeders. I believe sunflower is their preferred seed at feeders. I use the fine sunflower hearts in my finch feeder and do quite well attracting Goldfinches. Nyjer for finch feeders is not a seed native to this country. It is grown primarily in Africa, particularly Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as in India, Nepal, and Myanmar. This explains why it’s a little pricier. They will come to practically any type of feeder, too. They will even feed on the ground. In winter when I typically get more Goldfinches I will spread sunflower seed on my driveway and be treated to 50 or more Goldfinches. Keeping your feeders topped off is always recommended as Goldfinches want to feed as a group. Waiting for them to finish what’s in the feeder will backfire because if what’s remaining in the feeder accommodates only two birds they likely will move on. Many times customers will be fooled into thinking there’s’ something wrong with the remaining seed. Shake the feeder to see if the seed is dry and loose. If it is just top it off. Your results should be better.

Planting flowers like Zinnias, Coneflower, and Rudbeckia, that produce seeds they like, is a good way to get them to your yard in summer and fall but not necessarily your feeders. There are times they show a distinct preference for natural seed. The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in wooded areas, and suburban backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter.

Interesting Facts

• American Goldfinches breed later than most North American birds. They wait until June or July to nest when milkweed, thistle, and other plants have produced their fibrous seeds, which goldfinches incorporate into their nests and also feed their young.

• Goldfinches are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, selecting an entirely vegetable diet and only inadvertently swallowing an occasional insect.

• When Brown-headed Cowbirds lay eggs in an American Goldfinch nest, the cowbird egg may hatch but the nestling seldom survives longer than a few days. The cowbird chick simply can’t survive on the all-seed diet that goldfinches feed their young.

• Because of the nest material they use and how tightly it is woven a Goldfinch nest has been known to hold water.

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