The goldfinch bird

American goldfinch

   The goldfinch is a pretty little bird that occurs throughout Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. The goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, is a favorite cage bird, both on account of its bright plumage and its power of song. In the wild state it feeds on the seeds of thistles and other weeds.
   The so-called American goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, is a related finch, also known as the yellow bird or thistle bird. In summer the male is bright yellow with black wings, tail, and crown while the female is dull olive-brown, both sexes assuming the latter plum­age in winter, for the species is not migratory. They flit about the fields and roadsides in small bands, flying with a characteristic undulating motion and uttering a sweet warble. The nest of the goldfinch is a cup of soft materials placed in a low tree. It is one of the most familiar and delightful of American birds.