General

Lesser Goldfinch: Small finch with dark back (black in the east, dark green in the west), black crown, and bright yellow underparts. Wings and tail are black with white markings. Winter male is duller. Female is smaller, duller, and lacks black cap. Juvenile is similar to female but has greener underparts.

Range and Habitat

Lesser Goldfinch: Resident from Washington, Oregon, and northern Nevada east to northern Colorado and Texas, and south beyond the U.S.-Mexico border. Eastern race is found from northern Colorado southward through Texas and westward to Utah and Arizona. Western race occurs from Utah westward to Columbia River and southward into Mexico. Preferred habitats include oak savannas, woodlands, and suburban gardens.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"tee-yee", "cheeo"

Interesting Facts

 The Lesser Goldfinch was first described in 1823 by Thomas Say, an American naturalist.

 Males are markedly polymorphic and 5 subspecies are often named; at least 2 of them seem to represent a less-progressed stage in evolution.

 Their molt shows a broad zone of intergradation, with the molting period, timing, and pattern varying depending on geographical location.

 A group of goldfinches has many collective nouns, including a " 007", "charm", "rush", "treasury", and "vein" of goldfinches.

Author

Gary Owen Dick