American Goldfinch Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A small finch with a short, conical bill and a small, head, long wings, and short, notched tail.

  Relative Size

  Smaller than a Tufted Titmouse

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
    • Weight: 0.4-0.7 oz (11-20 g)
    • Wingspan: 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm)

  © Matt Davis / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Adult males in spring and early summer are bright yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail. Adult females are duller yellow beneath, olive above. Winter birds are drab, unstreaked brown, with blackish wings and two pale wingbars.

• Behavior

  These are active and acrobatic little finches that cling to weeds and seed socks, and sometimes mill about in large numbers at feeders or on the ground beneath them. Goldfinches fly with a bouncy, undulating pattern and often call in flight, drawing attention to themselves.
• Habitat

  The goldfinch’s main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter.