Mahoosuc Bird Notes – American Goldfinch - The Bethel Citizen

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American Goldfinch. Ken Thomas

The American Goldfinch (photo by Ken Thomas) is one of the most common feeder birds in our area. The male American Goldfinch with its orange beak, bright yellow body, black forehead and wings and tail is among the most recognizable birds for many. It is a striking bird. He doesn’t stay that way all year. During the non-breeding season, males (on the left) and females (on the right) are not bright and often go unnoticed. Because of this, it may not be recognized at many times of the year, even though some can be found in our area year-round.

Goldfinches get their bright color from the food they eat. They are almost exclusively seed-eaters. It is the plant pigments, called carotinoids, in the seeds they eat that give them their bright color. Goldfinches will come readily to a bird feeder with sunflower seeds, but their favorite seems to be thistle seed. A similar seed which you can buy for your feeder is sometimes marketed as thistle, nyjer or niger seed. If you do purchase this type of seed you will need a special feeder for these small seeds compared to those for sunflower or other larger seeds. Place a birder feeder in your yard, and you are likely to attract goldfinches.

Goldfinches’ reliance on seeds means they develop their colorful breeding plumage later in the summer. They also mate and raise their young later than many other birds in our area. Their chicks are hatching and growing in August when flower and plant seeds begin to appear in abundance.

If you don’t have feeders in your yard, stop by the feeding station at Valentine Farm in late summer and you won’t have to wait long to see males, females and juveniles. Walk the paths and you will see them moving from the ridge into the scrub on the other side of the creek. That open scrubby area makes for excellent nesting sites and nurseries for their young. Listen for their high-pitched, wirey, phrases “toWee, toWee, toWee, twee, twee, twee” accompanied by musical singing.

James Reddoch, of Albany Township and Boston, leads birding events for the Mahoosuc Land Trust. Visit Mahoosuc Land Trust at 162 North Road, Bethel, ME. To learn more visit www.mahoosuc.org. To contact James, send your emails to [email protected]

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