GREEN-BACKED GOLDFINCH 477 



of a tree over which the male had flown and a chase ensued for 200 

 feet around a half circle. The second bird, probably a female, dis- 

 appeared, and the male, calling softly, perched for 20 seconds at the 

 top of a live oak 75 feet from his original perch and then flew off 

 down the canyon. 



A seasonally late example of this type of display occurred in early 

 afternoon on July 14, 1939. A male, perched 3 feet above a female 

 40 feet up m a valley oak, sang for 2 minutes. He then flew in two 

 wide circles over a ravine in front of his mate, flashing his conspicuous 

 white wing patches, and then perched alongside her. 



Nesting. — In central California the normal nesting season extends 

 from the last of March to the last of July, with an exceptionally late 

 nesting (fledged young) on November 18 in Oakland (Mrs. H. K. 

 Trousdale). A nest containing four fresh eggs was found on November 

 22, 1900, at ParUer, Fresno County, by John M. Miller (1903). 

 Numerous other records for southern California indicate that this 

 bird nests there regularly from September to November. 



On the choice of nesting sites Dawson (1923) writes that it is very 

 great, and continues: 



Sycamore trees are an early favorite because of the shelter promised by its 

 generous leaves. And in this connection it may be well to note that most birds, 

 whether ground or tree nesters, see to it that their nest is in shadow through the 

 middle of the day. The burning rays of the sun must be avoided, at least by the 

 tender nestlings. It is this fact, and not presumed escape from observation, which 

 is the controlling factor in most nest-building projects. The cypress is also a 

 favorite with the goldfinch, and whether the nests be placed close to the trunk of 

 the tree, or, preferable, well out toward the tip of a branch, is determined again 

 by the shade oflfered by some overshadowing twig or branch. Live oaks conceal 

 their myriads also. In this case, the bird, securely sheltered by a bristling array 

 of sturdy leaves, prefers the tip of a drooping branch, or at least an outside situa- 

 tion. When the timber gives out, the Green-backs take cheerfully to the major 

 weed-patches, or even invade the open sage, to take potluck with Bell Sparrows 

 and Bush-Tits. 



Grinnell, Dixon, and Linsdale (1930) write that in the fourth week 

 of April 1928, several pairs of green-backed goldfinches were nesting 

 among the blue oaks on the hills 6 miles north of Red Bluff, Calif. 

 An unfinished nest in a shrubby tree at the edge of a small clump was 

 5 feet up on a limb sloping at a 45-degree angle and near the center of 

 the tree. The female kept up a twittering call as she shaped the nest 

 that was made almost entirely of sheep's wool. At Point Lobos in 

 1934-35 the only nest of green-backed goldfinch found was 8)^ feet 

 up, at the end of a bough of a 20-foot Monterey pine. The limb was at 

 the south margin of the woods on the north side of a meadow. The 

 site was thus open to the south and west, but pines standing close on 

 the east provided shade in the morning. On April 26 the female was 

 at the nest, which we thought then to be empty, and the male was near 



