Why don't I see one like the male above in full breeding plumage in Fort Bend? First of all, this beautiful specimen was taken in Utah toward the end of May. The American Goldfinch is a true vegetarian bird so it breeds in the summer so that it has thistle which has gone to seed to line its nest for it's young to eat. Fort Bend American Goldfinches are usually winter visitors, but you might see a straggler in May in full plumage. The gold contrasts beautifully with the black cap and black wings with white bands.
The Goldfinches you are likely to see in Fort Bend and Texas flock to feeders, particularly those with nyjer (which is a treated thistle that won't geminate in your garden) or black oiled sunflower seeds. And like the birds above, are still a striking and beautiful bird, just more subtle. Janice with her enclosed garden with water features and Margaret with her wide open garden on Oyster Creek both commonly get flocks of 50 in their very different gardens. The feeder above has nyjer seed.
Contrast the wing color of the winter visitors in Fort Bend at the feeder with the striking male in breeding plumage below.
The male in winter or non breeding plumage below have some gold, but as you can see at the feeder, you can tell males and females apart, but in a group they may blend together. I always think they look like they are in colorful tuxedos.
The female below is more olive with less gold, but the same lovely pattern on the wings.
Whether winter or in breeding plumage, this welcome visitor always tells me it's a lot colder North of here and our winter birds are coming to Texas.
What being a vegetarian means is that beyond seeds, American Goldfinches don't eat insects for protein and don't need that kind of protein in their diets. Cowbirds, who tend to lay their eggs in other bird's nests, to be reared by the bird that built the nest, usually die in American Goldfinch nests due to lack of protein.
If you are in most of the eastern US or in Northern Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Northern Nevada, or the plains states or lower Canada past May, the 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.
The Great American Bird Count 2012 Feb 17-20
Learning about birds is easier, when it's narrowed down what birds you might expect to see. The Cornell Lab or Ornithology, Audubon Society and Bird Watch/Etudes D'Oiseaux Canada co-sponsor this event annually. You don't have to be experienced to participate or have fun.
Identification forms specific to your area. You can download a short or long form for your area by entering your ZIP code (or where you'll be) and download a form to print out. What's neat, is that I downloaded the long form, and it gave me confidence that I had identified correctly an immature Wood Stork that was with a flock of White Ibis along Phase II of the Oyster Creek Trail in Missouri City. There are only two storks in this area, but the gold bill was throwing me off. Mature Wood Storks bills are brown like their heads, but are gold in immature storks. Seeing either bird is rare, but it makes it a lot easier to narrow down the bird, no matter what field guide you're using.
Contest Rules. The contest rules (and some neat bird prizes) are here.
Margaret Sloan has volunteered to help with identifications. Email your questions to [email protected].
Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.
Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.
Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.
Comments