American Goldfinch

I met this American Goldfinch late last summer. Many people think that these birds migrate away in the winter, and while they do migrate NJ is within the large range where they can be found throughout the year. You won't though see the vibrantly plumaged males in the winter, since their winter plumage is much more subdued, closer to the plumage of breeding females [1]. My guess is that this is a mature male who is starting to transition into his less colorful non-breeding plumage.

The males are known for their vibrant yellow-and-black plumage. You might be wondering how they acquired said plumage; here's a Native American explanation brought to you by ChatGPT:

One interesting story about the American Goldfinch involves its role in the folklore of the Native American Ojibwe tribe. According to Ojibwe legend, the Goldfinch was once a pure white bird, but it acquired its distinctive yellow and black plumage after helping to rescue the Sun during a great fire. As a reward, the Sun blessed the Goldfinch with its bright colors.

(I have to admit that I'm curious how bad a fire would need to be for it to threaten the sun, or how a tiny bird effected a rescue operation.)

September 4, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 238964711, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] Breeding females have more yellow than non-breeding males, but non-breeding males retain enough dark plumage that they still have more color contrast than the breeding females.

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