An American goldfinch soars through the warm spring air…Suddenly the bird opens its mouth and chirps a call that sounds like ‘po-ta-to-chip” – National Geographic Kids
A flock of goldfinches has a collective name formally known as a “charm.” – Reddit
The wind blew, the tops of the trees swayed back and forth. One leafy limb fell while a light rain covered the lake. The whole time the sun shone over the fields. Wilhelmina, our cat, dove inside under the sofa, her favorite hiding place. She would not come out until everything calmed down. I stood on the porch watching nature. The wind kicked up, rain fell, and the sun shone. I stayed for a while watching, there’s no way to calm nature. It continues at its own pace. Before the wind howled the American Goldfinch fed its offspring before flitting away. At the other end of the porch the hummingbird dived into the hummingbird feeder for a quick drink before finding a safe place to rest. Our hummingbirds come back every year checking out the feeders. For the last three years our American Goldfinches have also returned. On the porch hangs a small glass about 2 inches at the opening. The Goldfinches gather natural debris for lining the nest, it could be dried grass, thistle, milkweed, dandelions, pine leaves, etc. This year we removed last year’s debris only to find the Goldfinches put it back into their nest where the female bird will lay her eggs. The male bird will spend much time in and out of the nest capturing food for the female and later the fledglings. Goldfinches typically range from three to six eggs with five being the most common average. The incubation time is often 12 to 14 days while the male feeds the mother bird. Males are very attentive to mates as she incubates the eggs. His song in flight sounds like “Just look at me.”
The male bird has a bright yellow body, black wings and tail. The female has a touch of yellow but more olive. Their habit includes grasslands, thickets, and nearby trees.
AI offered this information: Yes, American goldfinches, including those in Mississippi, are more likely to return to the same area, and even the same nest site, if they were successful in the previous nesting season. Our finches like sunflower seeds though they are not particularly fond of feeders. They do forage through fields. In Mississippi’s humid climate goldfinches easily supplement their intake by sipping morning dew, water features, birdbaths, surface water, streams, shallow puddles. Since they eat almost entirely vegetarians, or seed-based diets, they need to drink water to stay hydrated.
We have a lake near the porch where the goldfinch can sip water, as well as a bird bath, and two plant saucers full of water. If this year is like last year, we just might see the fledglings learning to fly. While many succumb to predators and harsh weather early on, they can survive for up to 10-11 years. We can only hope.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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