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American Goldfinch
This gallery is dedicated to my mother, Winifred June (Johns) (Fritz) Ile, and the American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis. My mother was bedridden the last 6 months of her life, and we had her bed in front of the living room bay window so that she could watch her beloved birds. Her hearts desire was to see the gorgeous goldfinch, but none came near. So I hung a sock feeder and put a bright yellow planter with bright yellow flowers in it, just below the feeder. The very next day when I called my mother, she was so excited because she not only saw one, but five. Little did I know when I hung that sock feeder, that I was filling one of her last desires, so every time I see a Goldfinch I think of her. The male is a bright yellow bird with a black patch on his forehead, with a black tail and white rump. They have black wings with white wing bars, and they have a dramatic change in color during winter. The female is a dull olive yellow without the black patch on her forehead. They are the only finch that molts its body feathers twice a year, late winter and late summer. Their conical bill, and feet also change to a pinkish orange. They feed on seeds and thistle, and are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, only swallowing an insect inadvertently. They are sometimes called "Wild Canary." They have a roller-coaster-like flight pattern, and twitter during flight. They are almost always found in small flocks, and move only far enough south to find food. They are the state bird in New Jersey, Iowa and Washington. If a Brown-headed Cowbird lays an egg in their nest, the young seldom survive past 3 days on the all-seed diet. I am thankful that here in PA we have them year round - love to hear them twitter.
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