Goldfinch Small Journal

The following description appears on the inside cover of your small journal.

DESCRIPTION

The American goldfinch, often called the “Wild Canary,” is a familiar bird well-known for its bright plumage, undulating flight and tinkling calls. They are year-round residents across most of the northern half of the U.S. Their summer range extends across southern Canada, and they winter from the southern states into Mexico. The male in breeding plumage is bright yellow with black wings, tail and cap. The female is a dull olive-yellow with black wings and no cap. Winter males resemble females.

Goldfinches live in brushy thickets, weedy grasslands, farmlands and second-growth woodlands. Nesting is delayed until late summer when weed seeds are available; thistles are a particular favorite. The nest is densely woven of plant fibers, strengthened with spider web or caterpillar silk, and lined with thistledown in the upright fork of a small sapling or shrub. The female lays 4-5 pale blue eggs; only a single brood is raised each season.

Summer is the time of year that goldfinches are most active and highly visible. It is also the time of year that nature is at its peak. Rarely silent, goldfinches may be telling us that nature speaks to us at all times.

artwork and text by Steve Sierigk