| American Goldfinch |
| Nesting and Breeding |
| Territory American Goldfinches are not strongly territorial birds. However, they will defend the immediate area around the nest - driving away other goldfinches that come too close. While the female builds the nest, the male can sometimes be seen flying in a circular motion high above the nest site - or he many sit and sing from a nearby perch. Nest The cup-shaped nest is usually from 4 to 14 feet above the ground, but can be found as high as 30 feet. It's often found in a group of upright branches of a tree or bush, or in the fork of a horizontal branch of a tree. The nest is built of grasses, strips of bark, and other plant fibers, bound together on the outside with spider silk and caterpillar webbing. It's lined with plant down - often from thistle, milkweed, or cattails. Incubation and Fledging The American Goldfinch lays 4 to 6 pale blue or bluish white eggs. While the female incubates the eggs, she is fed by the male. The eggs hatch in about 10 to 12 days and the nestlings are fed by both parents. The young leave the nest 11 to 17 days after hatching. |
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