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July 2000 Webnotes
Watch for: Stokes Birds At Home Public TV series
Check Show Times to see when the show is on in your area. Episodes & More gives descriptions of each episode. Sign up for our free Email Newsletter to learn more about birds.
Nesting Goldfinches
 | American
Goldfinch |
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American Goldfinches breed later than most birds and are just beginning to nest in many parts of the country. Males are now in their brightest yellow breeding plumage. Watch for females collecting nesting material. Nests are constructed of bark strips from weeds and vines and held together with webbing from caterpillars or spiders. They are placed in forks of leafy bushes about 4-20 feet high. The female lines her nest with soft downy material such as fluff from willows, dandelions, or thistle. Goldfinches will bring their babies to your feeders in August and September, so keep your bird feeders stocked with thistle or sunflower seed.
Second Broods
Many people feel they have missed the breeding seasons of their birds if they did not follow them closely in spring. But take heart—you have another chance! Most of our backyard species, such as chickadees, nuthatches, and cardinals, have a second brood. This is signaled by a renewal of courtship activities between the pair and then the building of a new nest by the female. Some species that start nesting especially early in spring can even have three broods.
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