Species: American Goldfinch
Most recent capture date: 3/18/2023
Age: almost one year old
Sex: Male
Notes: I was excited about one American Goldfinch back in November – on this March date, we caught six! After our post about American Goldfinches, some folks suggested that their local decline could be due to the ongoing drought and their preference for more humid environments. An anecdote is not data and all that, but it is interesting that after being more-or-less-constantly flooded for four months, CCFS has a flock of American Goldfinches again…
(And if you’re wondering why this fellow looks so patchy: he’s molting from his brown winter [“definitive”] plumage into his bright yellow breeding [“alternate”] plumage.)