Keep Thistle Feeders Out Year-Round

American Goldfinches are one of the favorite backyard songbirds.  They are admired for their gentle disposition, vibrant yellow color, sweet song, and graceful flight.  It has earned the nickname of “wild canary” but the fact is, Goldfinches aren’t yellow consistently throughout the year.

As trees begin to turn with fall color, so does the molting process for Goldfinches. They begin to replace their tattered and worn feathers with a nice, new set!  The color change in males is most noticeable, as the vibrant yellow hue is replaced with the dull, brownish color of new feathers, and their little black cap disappears.  Females also molt, but their appearance doesn’t change too much.

The dull, winter feathers of Goldfinches will not stop them from flocking to thistle feeders.  If you keep them filled all year, you’ll be rewarded with wonderful, vibrant colors in warmer months!