PHOTO LIBRARY

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Look at the wing in good light - on AHY/ASY males the primaries, secondaries, as well as the primary and secondary coverts are nearly uniformly black; on AHY/ASY females they are uniformly dark brown to dull blackish; on HY/SY males they are mostly dark brown with slightly paler primary coverts; on HY/SY females they are generally brown with slightly paler primary coverts 2) Examine the shape of the outer rectrices - all goldfinches have somewhat pointed rectrices, but on AHY/ASY birds they are relatively broad until near the tip, while on HY/SY birds they tend to be more narrow and tapered. 3) Consider the colour of the outer rectrices - on AHY/ASY males there is a sharp and abrupt contrast between black and white; on HY/SY males they are dark brown to blackish with fairly distinct whitish patches; on AHY/ASY females they are dark brown with distinct off-white patches; on HY/SY females they are usually brown with indistinct off-white patches Note that the timing of pre-alternate moult is highly variable, sometimes beginning as early as December; for this reason most of the identification criteria provided are for wings and tail rather than body plumage.

January - July:

ASY - M Uniformly black primary and secondary coverts (primary coverts sometimes slightly faded); bold black and white contrast on tail; black cap in alternate plumage ASY - F Uniformly dark brown to blackish primary and secondary coverts; broad outer rectrices; lacking black cap in alternate plumage SY - M Secondary coverts black; primary coverts dark brown to dull blackish; outer rectrices dark brown to blackish and relatively narrow and tapered SY - F Secondary coverts dark brown; primary coverts brown; outer rectrices brown with indistinct pale patches and relatively narrow and tapered

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June - December:

AHY - M Uniformly black primary and secondary coverts; bold black and white contrast on tail; black cap in alternate plumage AHY - F Uniformly dark brown to blackish primary and secondary coverts; broad outer rectrices; lacking black cap in alternate plumage SY - M Prominent moult limit among greater coverts and/or primaries or secondaries, contrasting pale and worn juvenal feathers with fresh new black adult feathers. SY - F Prominent moult limit among greater coverts and/or primaries or secondaries, contrasting pale and worn juvenal feathers with fresh new dark brown adult feathers. HY - M Secondary coverts black; primary coverts dark brown to dull blackish; outer rectrices dark brown to blackish and relatively narrow and tapered HY - F Secondary coverts dark brown; primary coverts brown; outer rectrices brown with indistinct pale patches and relatively narrow and tapered

 

Ageing and sexing details:

Males are generally recognizable when perched due to the contrast between the black wings and the back at all times of year, but wings and tail need to be considered for ageing.  The first photo below shows an after-second-year male in full alternate plumage, the second in transition, and the third in basic plumage.  Note that even in basic plumage, after-second-year males usually retain yellow on the throat and on the lesser coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005 
 

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The wing of after-second-year males is usually solid black all across, although the primary coverts may sometimes appear slightly faded.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

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Most after-second-year males have large and distinct white patches on the rectrices contrasting with an otherwise black tail; occasionally this contrast is less pronounced.  The outer rectrices are relatively broad until near the tip.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

After-second-year females are relatively similar to males in overall appearance when both are in basic plumage, though the dark brown of the wings does not contrast with the back nearly as starkly as on males.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005
 

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The colour of the wing is fairly uniform, but not nearly as dark as on after-second-year males.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005
 

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The outer rectrices are fairly broad and rounded toward the tip, but the dark/light contrast is not as stark as on after-second-year males and the white patch is usually less extensive.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2006

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

second-year male

second-year female

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The entire wing has a brownish cast, but the primary coverts are paler than the greater coverts, showing a typical second-year moult limit.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2006
 

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The outer rectrices show the typical narrow and tapered shape of second-year goldfinches, and also are paler than other ages and sexes, usually with a less distinctly defined off-white to beige pale patch.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2006

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after-hatch-year male

after-hatch-year female

In fall, after-hatch-year females may show nearly as much contrast between the wing and back as males, but the black of the wing is generally a bit more dull, and there tends to be less yellow on the throat, head, and wings.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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After-hatch-year females in fall can be tricky as the wing is uniformly blackish, but in comparison with males, the black is somewhat more dull.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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The tail is particularly important for confirming after-hatch-year females - it has the broad and relatively rounded shape typical of after-hatch-year goldfinches, but is not quite as dark as on males, and the whitish patches tend to be neither as extensive nor as sharply defined as on males.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005

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Goldfinches going through their second prebasic moult can often be recognized as second-year by the sharp contrast between faded juvenal feathers and much darker new adult feathers; sometimes this is visible even on a perched bird, as in the photo below.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005

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The sharp contrast between the replaced inner greater coverts and the remainder of the wing suggests that this is a second-year male.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005
 

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The tail of a second-year bird may show characteristics of a hatch-year or after-hatch-year bird, or a combination of the two depending on the timing of moult.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, August 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Goldfinches going through their second prebasic moult can often be recognized as second-year by the sharp contrast between faded juvenal feathers and much darker new adult feathers.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, May 2005
 

 

hatch-year male

hatch-year female