Birds of Iowa field guide

American Goldfinch Spinus tristis Size: 5" (13 cm) Male: Canary-yellow finch with a black forehead and tail. Black wings with white wing bars. White rump. No markings on the chest. Winter male is similar to the female. Female: dull olive-yellow plumage with brown wings; lacks a black forehead Juvenile: same as female Nest: cup; female builds; 1 brood per year Eggs: 4-6; pale blue without markings Incubation: 10-12 days; female incubates Fledging: 11-17 days; female and male feed the young Migration: partial migrator; small flocks of up to 20 birds move around to find food Food: seeds, insects; will come to seed feeders Compare: The Pine Siskin (p. 97) has a streaked chest and belly, with yellow wing bars. Female House Finch (p. 99) and female Purple Finch (p. 119) both have heavily streaked chests. Male Yellow Warbler (p. 293) is all yellow with orange streaks on chest. Stan's Notes: A common backyard resident. Most often found in open fields, scrubby areas and woodlands. Enjoys Nyjer seed in feeders. Lines its nest with the silky down from wild thistle. Almost always in small flocks. Twitters while it flies. Flight is roller coaster-like. Often called Wild Canary due to the male's canary-colored plumage. Male sings a pleasant, high-pitched song. Moves only far enough south to find food. Excerpted from Birds of Iowa Field Guide by Stan Tekiela All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.