In our area you can attract two different species of goldfinch to your feeders, year-round: American Goldfinches and Lesser Goldfinches. They are particularly partial to nyger thistle and a dedicated thistle feeder or a seed sock will do the trick.
The Lesser Goldfinch male is bright gold (with a green back and dark cap) all year, and the females are yellowish.
Male Lesser Goldfinch. © Ed Harper
However, American Goldfinches wear very subdued plumage in winter. The females go from yellowish in spring and summer, to mostly pale brown in winter and the American males look similar in winter, quite a contrast to the spring male’s showy yellow duds.
Female American Goldfinch. © Ed Harper
We also occasionally are visited in winter by Pine Siskins, the ‘goldfinch’ that is never gold. Many winters we see few to none in the Central Valley, but this winter we have a good influx of these dark, streaky birds.
Pine Siskin. © Ed Harper
They are distinguished by their streakiness, variable amounts of yellow on the wings, and a particularly thin little bill. They also tend to be the ‘bullies’ at the feeders and may dominate their other goldfinch cousins.
