Celebrating American Goldfinches

By Myrna Pearman, Mother Nature’s Naturalist and Backyard Birding Expert

Bird feeding stations are often quieter during the summer months because natural food options such as insects, fruits, nectar and seeds are widely available. However, well-stocked feeders will still attract a variety of summer birds, including chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.

Of all the finch species that visit feeding stations, the American Goldfinch is often the most common feeder patron. The reason for their attraction to seed feeders is because unlike most other bird species—they are almost exclusively granivorous (seed eaters). They consume very few insects and even feed seeds to their nestlings!

American Goldfinches, beautifully attired in yellow and black, are abundant and widely distributed finches throughout North America and are year-round residents throughout southern Ontario. Breeding males are very striking while the females have a more muted plumage coloration. During the winter, both males and females molt into a drab, unstreaked brownish plumage.

American Goldfinches are unique because they breed late in the season, even into early July. It appears that this delay coincides with the flowering of thistles, one of their most important food sources and sources of down for their nests. They also have a short nesting season.

Goldfinches are gregarious, usually feeding in the company of others. During the summer, they are most commonly found in weedy fields and suburban gardens where they feed on such plants as thistles, coneflower, asters, cosmos, black-eyed Susan, bee balm, goldenrod, milkweed and sunflowers.  A seed feeder placed near natural food sources will be very popular as a supplemental food source.

The best seeds to offer goldfinches include sunflowers, sunflower chips and Mother Nature’s finch blend, which includes nyjer® seed, sunflower chips, canola, canary grass and gold proso millet. Any type of feeder can be used, including fly-through, hopper and tube. If offering nyjer® seed, try dispensing this expensive seed from special thistle feeders to reduce waste. They will also feed on spilled seeds on the ground below hanging feeders.

Like other finches, American Goldfinches will sometimes contract contagious diseases at feeding stations. To minimize the risk of contamination, clean your feeders regularly and rake up spilled seeds.

American Goldfinches also love to bathe. Adding a simple birdbath in your yard will bring in these delightful little songsters and will add even more delight to your backyard bird watching!