Everyone’s remarking on how beautiful the goldfinches are this year with their bright yellow bodies, black wings and black caps.
American goldfinches are very active right now because they’re nesting. They live on seeds and don’t have hands so they use their crops to carry food to their babies in the nest. Both parents feed their young through regurgitation.
Keep your thistle feeder full and the goldfinches will wait in line.
(photo by Marcy Cunkelman)
Great picture. They are nesting now? Do they go through multiple broods each summer, or are they late nesters?
Goldfinches are late nesters. Here’s more information about them:
http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2008/07/12/goldfinch-time/
DAAMMNNNN THISTLE!!!!
I will say we keep a FEW of these for the butterflies and the goldfinches….but keep up as much as possible with the smaller, much MORE invasive Canada Thistle—>This bigger one, I cut down where I don’t want it and it digs out fairly easy…not much fun when you step on it with bare feet. ?
With goldfinches outside my window, there’s no need for caged parakeets inside. And they always indicate coming season changes with their color!
Beautiful!
I saw one outside my window yesterday and it was pecking the window.why?
Halle, it probably saw its own reflection and thought it was a rival.