American Goldfinch: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Garden Birds · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Goldfinch parents weave their nest so tight it can fill with water. Spider silk and caterpillar silk hold the rim together.
2. The male's bright lemon yellow comes from carotenoids, colourful pigments found in the plants he eats.
3. Goldfinches fly in waves, and one of their calls sounds like po-ta-to-chip.
4. Goldfinches breed later in the year than any other finch, perhaps because seeds are plentiful in late summer.
5. Goldfinch eggs are bluish-white and roughly the size of a peanut. A clutch holds four to six.

The quiz

1. What can a goldfinch's tightly woven nest hold?

• Water (correct)
• Snow
• Sand
• Pebbles

The nest is woven so tight that it can hold water.

2. Where does the male goldfinch's lemon-yellow color come from?

• Sunlight on its feathers
• Carotenoid pigments from plants in its diet (correct)
• Pollen dust
• A special oil gland

The yellow comes from carotenoid pigments in the plants the male eats.

3. What does one goldfinch call sound like?

• Popcorn
• Pretzel
• Peanut
• Po-ta-to-chip (correct)

One of its calls sounds like po-ta-to-chip.

4. Why might goldfinches breed so late in the year?

• Insects hatch in autumn
• Nests dry slowly
• Seeds are abundant in late summer (correct)
• Winters are shorter

Seeds are most of their diet, and they are plentiful in late summer, which may explain the late breeding.

5. How big is a goldfinch egg?

• Like a grape
• Like a peanut (correct)
• Like a pea
• Like a walnut

The eggs are roughly the size of a peanut.

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