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American Goldfinch; Yellow-bird
Adult Male--Lemon yellow, except the crown, wings, and tail, which are black.
Adult Female--Dull greenish or olive yellow; nearly white on the lower breast and belly; wings and tail dark brownish gray. Length--5.10.
Breeding Range--Throughout the Eastern States north of South Carolina.
The nest is a compact cup-like structure of fine grass, moss, vegetable fibre, snugly lined with thistle and other plant-down. It is placed in the crotch of a bush or tree, and sometimes in a coarse fern or a large thistle. It is seldom more than thirty-five feet from the ground. The eggs, 3 to 6 in number, are very pale blue, very rarely marked with fine dots. Size--.65 x .52.
Thoroughly good companions are these cheerful little birds; their very note as they fly from field to field or from one tall seed-bearing stalk to another is full of overflowing good spirits. Except during the short nesting season, which is usually delayed until the thistle-down is ready for the lining of their cozy nests, they keep together in small flocks, frequenting the fields where seeds are abundant.
In winter, when the males have lost their bright yellow colouring, they may be seen hanging from the dried stems of the golden-rod, feeding on the fluffy seeds. The nesting site may be in an open field where small bushes are scattered about, or it may be in openings or clearings in the woods where the tall ferns or scrubby growth are to the birds' fancy. The regular time for nest-building is towards the end of June, but it is often delayed until July, or even August, and only in exceptional cases is it early in June.