10/09/2026
Fun Fact Friday!!
πDid you know you that the American Goldfinch (or Eastern Goldfinch) changes color in the fall? Unlike other goldfinch species, the American Goldfinch is the only one that molts its body feathers twice a year, once in late winter/spring and again in late summer/fall. The males are the only ones to change their colors during the molts; the females remain the same color year-round. Males will change from vibrant yellow with black wings and forehead during the spring-summer to a duller tan with a pale yellow head and blackish wings during the fall-winter. Females are always tan with a pale yellow belly and black wings. The winter and female colors help the birds camouflage with the surrounding environment.
Other fun facts about the American Goldfinch:
πThey are the state bird of Iowa, Washington, and New Jersey.
πΎThey are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world. They mainly eat all seeds, and prefer sunflower and nyjer at your feeders.
π£If a Brown-headed Cowbird lays her eggs in an American Goldfinch nest, her babies typically won't last more than 3 days as they cannot survive on the all-seed diet of the goldfinch.
If you would like to know more about this fascinating bird species, Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab is a great source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/overview
π·Photo Credit: Wapsi Naturalist
