18 THE 'A U D:-UcB°OWN” B Uribe ei 
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis ) 
By ANNA C. AMES 
THE GAY LITTLE GOLDFINCH, smaller than an English Sparrow, has been 
honored in the far eastern and far western parts of the United States, as 
it has been chosen the state bird of New Jersey and Washington. It is also 
the state bird of Iowa and Minnesota. In summer the male is yellow, with 
black wings marked with white, a black tail, and a black cap pulled down 
over his eyes. The male in winter and the female at all seasons have the 
upper parts olive-brown and underparts grayish-white, with wings and tail 
gray-black. The female in summer has two distinct, white wing bars. She 
lacks the black cap of her mate. 
The song of the Goldfinch is a clear, long-sustained, canary-like warble. 
Each dip of its undulating flight is often punctuated by a simple ti-tee-di-di 
or per-chick-o-ree. The birds are seldom silent. They chatter when feeding 
or resting. Their flight notes come as regularly as their wing movements 
when they are bounding through the air. They call to one another all 
through the day. Dr. Chapman says: “Their love song is delivered with an 
ecstasy and abandon which carries them off their feet, and they circle over 
a field sowing the air with music.” At nesting time many variations are 
heard in the song. 
Goldfinches nest later than almost any other bird. When thistles go to 
seed, they gather the down and fine grasses to make a nest in a berry bush 
or some other low, shaded place. The nest is a compact, artistic structure 
of mosses, grass, leaves, and bark strips, usually lined with thistle down. 
The eggs are three to six in number, pale bluish white, and unmarked. The 
nest is built chiefly, or wholly, by the female. The young remain in the 
nest fifteen or sixteen days, and are fed by regurgitation. 
After nesting the birds gather into flocks of a few dozen or a few hun- 
dred and haunt the weedy fields and marshlands, where sometimes their 
notes may be heard even until the middle of winter. At that time of year 
the Goldfinch feeds largely on weed seeds, the seeds of birches and button- 
bush. In summer the bird subsists to a large extent on weed seeds, but also 
destroys many noxious insects, such as canker worms, plant lice, small 
grasshoppers, and beetles. It sometimes frequents lawns to eat dandelions. 
Goldfinches are particularly fond of hemp, millet, and sunflower seeds. 
They seem to enjoy picking out the seeds from a sunflower head. If unused 
salsify, turnip, and lettuce are allowed to go to seed and stand in the gar- 
den, Goldfinches will delight in them. No bird sanctuary is complete without 
a supply of European alder and yellow birch, for they carry in their cones 
a supply of tiny seeds which Pine Siskins, Redpolls, and Goldfinches seek 
all winter. 
The Goldfinch is one of many birds that can endure great cold if there 
is sufficient food supply. For the most part they are permanent residents 
wherever found, though some may wander in a southerly direction in win- 
ter. From ocean to ocean the Goldfinch, with variations, is common. Its 
range extends northward into Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, southern Labra- 
dor, and Newfoundland. 
Goldfinches love companionship. I have seen a flock cover a large extent 
of ground like a golden carpet. They are charming always. Restless, seldom 
quiet for any length of time, they present an animated picture of zestful 
bird life. 
929 Brummel Street, Evanston, Illinois 
