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Who's That Singing? American Goldfinch

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This is the time of the summer when American Goldfinches are making all sorts of noise. Goldfinches are a species that stick around Wisconsin year-round, but summer is when they really shine. Their bright yellow with black accented bodies and their “potato chip” flight calls are just fabulous.

An American Goldfinch eating sunflower seed from a feeder (Photo by Jo Zimny Photos FCC)

American Goldfinch in winter at a birdfeeder (photo by Kenneth Cole Schneider FCC)

American Goldfinches are commonly found where people are — neighborhoods, feeders, parks, gardens, farms, and natural areas… anywhere they can find seeds! Seeds make up almost all of their diet, and they are especially big fans of seeds from asters, sunflower species, and grasses. It’s common to find them on purple coneflower seedheads, with that yellow and purple color combo very striking indeed! Folks who feed birds know that nyjer and sunflower seeds are great ways to bring goldfinches to the yard.

American Goldfinches nest later in the summer here in Wisconsin, usually starting in late July (now!). Because they mostly eat seeds, they wait until seedheads have developed in order to eat enough to support the taxing experience of reproduction. They typically nest in shrubs (maybe in your yard).

Song

Like all finches, the goldfinch song is not melodic but a fun random collection of high-pitched chirps and twitters. According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, American Goldfinches have a “life-long learner” approach to life, continuing to learn new song pattern year after year. Their song is less commonly heard than their calls, but is used to establish their nesting territory and attract a mate in spring.

Calls

Their flight call is beloved, with the mnemonic (or trick to remember it) being “potato chip!” They fly in an undulating pattern, dipping then up, dipping then up. Their potato chip call corresponds with the up part of the flight.

They also make a squeaky call that is typically a courtship call — so we’re hearing it a lot right now! It has a bit of a twang to it, which is a classic finchy noise.

I hope you enjoy listening to the awesome American Goldfinch now that we have entered into their breeding season!

Who’s That Singing? is a series designed for Birding by Ear class participants but available to anyone interested in learning more!

Written by Brenna Marsicek, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance director of outreach

other articles in the Who’s That Singing series:

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Who's That Singing? American Goldfinch

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Photo by Jo Zimny Photos FCC

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