American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
As the official state bird of Iowa, American Goldfinches are hard to miss during the summer months. Male goldfinches sport brilliant golden feathers with a stylish black cap, while females wear more subtle olive-yellow tones. Unlike many birds that sing a simple tune, goldfinches sound like they’re having a lively conversation, chirping and calling as they bounce through fields and gardens.
American Goldfinches are also fashionably late nesters. While many birds begin raising their young in spring, goldfinches wait until July or even August to build their nests. Why the delay? They’re timing their family plans around the availability of seeds from native plants such as thistles, sunflowers, and coneflowers. In other words, goldfinches don’t schedule around the calendar, they schedule around the availability of abundant food.
Male Goldfinch – Image Courtesy of Larry Reis
These energetic birds are famous for their acrobatic eating habits. Goldfinches can cling upside down, hang sideways, and perform impressive balancing acts while feeding on seed heads. Their flight pattern is just as entertaining: they fly in a roller-coaster-like wave, dipping and rising through the air while calling “po-ta-to-chip!”—a sound that many birdwatchers swear is exactly what they’re saying.
Female Goldfinch – Image Courtesy of Larry Reis
Perhaps most surprising of all, American Goldfinches undergo a dramatic wardrobe change every year. In late summer and fall, the bright yellow males trade their flashy feathers for a more subdued olive-brown appearance, making them almost unrecognizable. By spring, they transform once again into the brilliant yellow birds Iowans know and love. It’s one of nature’s greatest costume changes, proving that even Iowa’s state bird appreciates a good seasonal makeover.
Source: 10 Fun Facts About the American Goldfinch | Audubon