Sitting on the TV room floor photographing through an open window in the back door. Yes I am desperate for more shooting. My back porch is a buffet for birds. Multiple hangers with a large variety of food choices. This morning was my first attempt at capturing a few good shots. It’s more difficult than I expected. Loaded with my flash extender my hope was to get that perfect rim light. I have a lot of work to do. A lot to learn.
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Size & Shape
A small finch with a short, conical bill and a small, head, long wings, and short, notched tail.
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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.
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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.
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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.