The descriptor “finch” is used by birders to describe a family of birds with similar characteristics. In North America, we have several finch genera, which include a variety of species including rosy-finches, redpolls, crossbills, and some species of grosbeaks.
There are two other genera in the finch family: Carpodacus, which includes three finch species that are red in color; and the genus, Carduelis, which includes three finch species that are yellow in color.
The finches with red plumage are purple finches, Cassin’s finches, and house finches. The finches with yellow plumage are American goldfinch, lesser goldfinch, and Lawrence’s goldfinch. Interestingly, all six finch species occur in Arizona.
Some of these finch species occur in urban environments and frequent seed feeders. In the Prescott area, the two most common finches are house finches and lesser goldfinches. Both species breed here and are year-round residents.
The other four finch species are migratory, and are somewhat irregular in their occurrence here. Some winters, there are large numbers of Cassin’s finches present; other years we don’t see any. The nomadic nature of these species is based on food availability in their wintering grounds, which heavily impacts where they occur from one year to the next.
Of the three goldfinch species that occur in the Arizona Central Highlands, lesser goldfinches are the most common and abundant. Males have a bright lemon-yellow colored breast, a jet-black cap, an olive-green back and black wings with white in the wing. Females are rather muted in color, ranging from a dull yellow to olive-green in color.
I consider lesser goldfinches to be a partial migrator. Many of our customers feed either nyjer seed, or a blend called Finch Feast, to attract goldfinches to their yard. Some customers have lesser goldfinches in their yard year-round, while other customers don’t have any in winter.
One of the best ways to attract lesser goldfinches to your yard is to provide a source of water—especially moving water. Goldfinches love to drink and bathe at fountains and other water features where shallow water cascades over a hard surface.
The next most common variety of goldfinch in our area is the American Goldfinch. This is a species that summers and breeds at northern latitudes in North America. When fall approaches, they move south to winter in more temperate areas.
Unlike the lesser goldfinch, American goldfinches go through an amazing semi-annual molt. In spring, males are brilliant yellow in color, with black wings and tail feathers. Female American goldfinches are relatively plain—almost brownish in color with a faint, dull yellow wash.
The least common (in the Prescott area) of the three goldfinches is the Lawrence’s goldfinch. Lawrence’s goldfinches have a relatively small range. They breed in California and winter in Arizona and Mexico.
This species is an infrequent visitor here in the Arizona Central Highlands. About two weeks ago, I discovered a lovely male while walking in the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve, just south of the Prescott Lakes Parkway bridge.
I reported my sighting in eBird, and since that time countless birders have gone to the exact same spot and have seen a small flock that are wintering here. This species is considered “rare” in Prescott. This is a good opportunity to go see Lawrence’s goldfinches, as it is easy to access the weedy spot where they are hanging out.
The coloration pattern of the Lawrence’s goldfinch is striking—males have a black face, a yellow breast and extensive yellow in the wings. Their head, back, flanks and belly are gray. Female plumage is predominantly gray with a touch of yellow.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Swarovski and Vortex optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
