Bird guide · Spinus tristis
American Goldfinch
What the American goldfinch eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Partial migrant
- Size
- 4.7 in (12 cm)
- Eats
- nyjer, sunflower hearts
- Feeds
- tube
- Most common
- Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
Food
What do American goldfinches eat?
At feeders, American goldfinches take nyjer, sunflower hearts.
Commonly comes to feeders for small seeds.
Feeder that suits it
A tube or hopper feeder with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts.
Range
Where do American goldfinches live?
Widespread across North America; more stay north in winters with good food supply. By share of all bird sightings, American goldfinches are most common in Vermont (3.2%).
States where American goldfinches are most common
- Vermont3.2%
- New Hampshire3.1%
- Maine3.0%
- Wisconsin2.8%
- West Virginia2.6%
- Minnesota2.5%
- Massachusetts2.5%
- Michigan2.5%
- Pennsylvania2.5%
- Illinois2.5%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are American goldfinches, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the American goldfinch migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in August.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are American goldfinches, by month.
Identification
How to identify the American goldfinch
Male: Summer male bright yellow with black wings, tail and forehead.
Female: Duller yellow-green; winter birds of both sexes are brownish with bold wing bars.
Size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
On camera
Getting the American goldfinch on a feeder camera
Any seed camera feeder works. Hang it near shrubs for cover, about five feet off the ground, with the lens facing away from direct sun.
Questions
American Goldfinch: questions
What do American goldfinches eat?
At feeders, nyjer, sunflower hearts.
Do American goldfinches migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in August.
Where do American goldfinches live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin, West Virginia. They are rare or absent in Alaska, Hawaii.
What does a female American goldfinch look like?
Duller yellow-green; winter birds of both sexes are brownish with bold wing bars.