American Goldfinch

Carduelis tristis 
Finch family (Fringillidae)

Small, 4 ¼” long. Male – canary yellow body; black cap, wings, and tail. Female – yellowish green overall, black wings and tail. Undulating (wave-like) flight pattern.

Habitat:
Open meadows, forest edges.

Nesting:
Nests in a cluster of branches or on a horizontal limb of a tree or shrub, 5 to 15 feet above the ground. Eggs are light blue. Clutch size – 2 to 7 eggs.

Voice:

Song is long, canary-like warble.  Call is “sweeyeet”.  In flight, call is a continuous series of three notes:  “chip chip chip”.  We call it the “potato chip” call.

Name Origin:

Carduelis, Latin for “goldfinch”; tristis, Latin for “sad”, inappropriately based on its song.

In the Nature Park:
Year-round resident. Common in open meadows and open areas near the buildings at the Nature Park.

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