How can one bird be the iconic representative of an east coast, midwest, and west coast state? In contrast, only one state has embraced the California quail – that makes more sense to me. New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington have all claimed it as their state bird, which makes it feel less like a sincere and committed monogamous relationship, if you know what I mean. I have nothing against goldfinches of the double Carolinas, I just don’t have a spontaneous outpouring of affection towards them. etc.), feel free to embrace this bird, but I confess I tend to feel some bias towards the species that are more tied to a specific region. If you are capable of a Whitmanian capaciousness (“the diverse! the compact! / The Pennsylvanian! the Virginian! the double Carolinian! / O all and each well-loved by me!” etc. But colorfulness is not the only meter for affection.Īs their name of “American” goldfinch accurately suggests, this is a bird we share with the entire continent, while lesser goldfinches are a western specialty. And their colorfulness is undeniable – most yards will not see any birds more shockingly brilliant in color than a male American goldfinch in summer. Get acquainted: Most people think of this bird as the bigger, brighter, less common goldfinch, all of which tends to elevate them in the popular imagination, which loves sparkles and novelty. Practice: Male American to top left, male lesser to top right, female lessers below At all times of year and in all plumages, Americans are larger than lessers and have white, rather than yellow, feathers under the tail. Male lesser goldfinches, in contrast, do not lose their caps a bright yellow goldfinch with a dark cap from September-March or so is a lesser goldfinch. In winter, however, males lose their black foreheads and most of their color and are difficult to distinguish from females. Males in summer are easy to recognize: brilliant neon yellow with orange beaks and legs (both are dull on lesser goldfinches) and with the bright gold extending onto the back (where lessers are a duller green-yellow). Identify: As a first guideline of reasonable expectations, American goldfinches are significantly less abundant throughout Marin compared to lesser goldfinches, but will periodically appear in low numbers at most finch feeders, and may dominate in some areas near water. Join the campaign for goldfinch justice in our full profile, This Goldfinch Is Not Lesser. “Greenback” is more convivial – “there’s a big flock of greenbacks on the feeder.” I think I’ll try to revive this. I mention old names because while normal, non-birder people might casually discuss “goldfinches,” it would seem unusual for them to specify “lesser goldfinch” – it just feels too scientific, too taxonomic, not a spontaneous name that actual humans might give this bird upon seeing it. Old-fashioned, out-of-use, but less judgmental name: green-backed goldfinch. They are perhaps our second most commonly heard singer after house finches: listen to how their lively songs are more varied and disjointed than house finch songs, incorporating all kinds of different sounds and tones, including imitations of other birds. They are present year-round in our area, but tend to visit feeders much more during fall and winter. Get acquainted: These small and musical finches particularly love shelled sunflower chips and will also eat the special finch seed called Nyjer. Field guides may confuse you with various yellow birds including warblers and orioles the short answer is that if it is on your seed feeder, it’s a goldfinch. This is much the more common of our two goldfinch species (see below for the other one), widespread everywhere except densely forested areas. Both have relatively muted, green-yellow backs. Identify: Males are bright yellow and have a black cap females are a duller, somewhat green-yellow overall. Lesser Goldfinch Male lesser goldfinch – Nancy Frost In addition to the not negligible virtues of abundance and colorfulness, house finches are also superb singers: listen for their lilting, musical songs, often ending with a distinctive upslurred veeer!įor much more on linnets, see our full essay on the Blessed Halo. Dawson goes on to proclaim that “the home that is not surrounded by an investing halo of linnets, I hold it to be unblest” and I feel the same way (linnet is a nice old-fashioned name for this bird, abandoned by field guides but universally preferred among poets and bohemians). Dawson put it, “the bread-and-butter of the bird feast which life daily spreads before us.” So, 1) you almost certainly have them in your yard, and 2) that’s a nice thing. Get acquainted: The house finch is our most widespread and consistent feeder bird, or as old time ornithologist W.L.
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