About Yellow Finches

Finches are considered passerines, meaning they comprise more than half of the bird population. The yellow or gold finch's name means "sad thistle seed eater," however the sad part does not fit the yellow finch since it sings like the canary. Washington, New Jersey and Iowa have adopted the yellow finch, also known as the American goldfinch, as their state bird.

  1. Shedding

    • Yellow finches are the only finch that sheds its feathers two times a year. They shed their feathers in the winter and at the end of summer. Other finches shed once each year.

    Breeding

    • Spring and summer is the time for breeding. During this time, males are brilliantly yellow with black wings and caps on their heads. Females are virtually yellow with the brightest color on their breast and on their throat. In the winter, when they are not breeding, both female and male American goldfinches are either brown or gray, with the males sporting a yellow hue on their heads.

    Diet

    • Instead of being the early bird that catches the worm, yellow finches consume an all vegetarian diet. A few of the seeds these birds consume are seeds from conifer, alder and birch trees. They also enjoy berries, and if they digest insects, it is usually inadvertently while eating seeds and berries.

    Poor Pets

    • These finches do not make good pets because interacting with humans causes these little birds a lot of stress. It is best to observe their brilliant colors and listen to their songs instead of attempting to play with them.

    Nesting

    • In July and August, yellow finches pair up, preparing for nesting. When the male courts his female counterpart, he does so with a song that sounds much like the canary. It is the female of the species that scouts out and finds a nesting site. The site for the nest is on the outskirts of a field, brush or a hedge. Wherever she chooses a site, it will be where thistle are plentiful.