• Adult males in spring and early summer are bright yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail. 

• Adult females are duller yellow beneath, olive above. Winter birds are brown, with blackish wings and two pale wing bars.

The American Goldfinch prefers trees in open places, especially in orchards and along roadsides. Except during the nesting season, it is a sociable bird that seeks its own kind to feed and fly with. 

Goldfinches eat seeds, and plants bearing seed.  They are attracted to these types of plant, especially sunflowers, asters, poppies and marigolds.  Even weed flowers like dandelions are great attractions to goldfinches.