Bird guide · Spinus psaltria
Lesser Goldfinch
What the lesser goldfinch eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Year-round resident
- Size
- 3.9 in (10 cm)
- Eats
- nyjer, sunflower hearts
- Feeds
- tube
- Most common
- Arizona, New Mexico, California
Food
What do lesser goldfinches eat?
At feeders, lesser goldfinches take nyjer, sunflower hearts.
Feeds acrobatically in small flocks.
Feeder that suits it
A tube or hopper feeder with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts.
Range
Where do lesser goldfinches live?
Western US. By share of all bird sightings, lesser goldfinches are most common in Arizona (2.2%).
States where lesser goldfinches are most common
- Arizona2.2%
- New Mexico1.8%
- California1.7%
- Nevada1.6%
- Utah1.3%
- Oregon1.2%
- Idaho1.0%
- Colorado0.6%
- Texas0.5%
- Washington0.2%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are lesser goldfinches, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the lesser goldfinch migrate?
Year-round resident. 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 lesser goldfinches, by month.
Identification
How to identify the lesser goldfinch
Male: Yellow below with a black or green back and white wing patches.
Female: Plainer, with yellow under the tail.
Size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
On camera
Getting the lesser 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
Lesser Goldfinch: questions
What do lesser goldfinches eat?
At feeders, nyjer, sunflower hearts.
Do lesser goldfinches migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in August.
Where do lesser goldfinches live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia.
What does a female lesser goldfinch look like?
Plainer, with yellow under the tail.