American Golfinch

The American Goldfinch is the state bird of Washington. It is widespread throughout the lowlands of Washington, frequently coming to bird feeders. The male in breeding plumage is bright yellow with a black forehead, wings, and tail. He has one white wing-bar on every wing and white on his tail. Outside of the breeding season, the male is dull brown with hints of yellow and white wing-bars. In both breeding and non-breeding plumage, he has white under tail coverts complementary with the yellow under tail coverts of the Lesser Goldfinch.

The female in breeding plumage is yellowish-gray-brown on top and varies in color from bright yellow to dull yellow under. She has two light wing-bars on every wing and a light-colored bill. Her tail is black with white outer tips. Exterior of the breeding season, she is gray above and below, and has less separate wing-bars and a darker bill.