WESTERN BIRDS Goldfinch 



In consequence, the nestlings hatched irregularly and 

 they also left the nest the same way. Some of them 

 would be in the yard, where they allowed me to handle 

 them, while others had not left the nest. They were 

 the cunningest of baby birds with their olive green 

 plumage. 



Like the other Goldfinches, these little Green-backs 

 are seldom quiet. A favorite note during the nesting 

 season is sweet, sweet? given with a rising inflection, and 

 tee-hee, tee-he-he-he. The song is a sweet, canary-like 

 warble which is given on the wing as the bird bounds 

 through the air in his undulating flight. The male also 

 uses a circling flight song before the female as does the 

 eastern bird. 



During the winter months large flocks of these dull- 

 colored birds may be seen in the open canyons and fields, 

 where they feed upon weed seeds. 



GENUS ASTRAGALINUS: LAWRENCE 

 GOLDFINCH. 



Lawrence Goldfinch: Astragalinus Idwrencei. 



FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



In California, west of the Sierra Nevadas and below 

 latitude 40°, and in southwestern Arizona and New 

 Mexico during the winter months, is found the most 

 charming member of this group, the quaint little Law- 

 rence Goldfinch. The upper parts are brownish gray 

 with rump and wings greenish yellow; the median under 

 parts are yellow with soft gray sides. But the thing 

 which gives the bird the peculiar appearance is the black 

 face-patch. This black marking forms a cap on the top 

 of the head and extends down over the face, ending in a 

 point on the throat. It gives him a clown-like appear- 



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