American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Year-round in CharlotteCommon

The take

Lemon-yellow in summer, olive-drab in winter — the bouncing flight and per-chick-o-ree call stay the same.

How to ID it

  • Breeding males are bright yellow with a black forehead and black wings with white markings
  • Small finch with a short conical bill and short, notched tail
  • Active and acrobatic, clinging to weeds and flying in a bouncy, undulating pattern while calling

Field marks at a glance

Size
small
Head
yellow with black forehead (breeding male)
Call
per-chick-o-ree given in bounding flight

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources