# Lesser Goldfinch

[![lesser-goldfinch-1.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/lesser-goldfinch-1.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/lesser-goldfinch-1.jpeg)

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-an-american-kestrel-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; border-width: 1px; background-color: #ecf0f1;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px;">*A male Lesser Goldfinch in the glow of the morning sun | 06/21/2014*</td></tr></tbody></table>

### **Description**

The Lesser Goldfinch is the more striking of the two common kinds of Goldfinches we get in the United States (the other being the American Goldfinch). It has a bright yellow body, black crown, and backside. It has a chaotic pretty song and you’ll mostly see them in small flocks.

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### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**Personal stats**</span>  


#### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">**First observation**</span>

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-%F0%9F%93%86-12%2F01%2F2013-%F0%9F%93%8D-los-a" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50%; border-width: 1px; height: 64px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 21.234568%;"></col><col style="width: 78.518519%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 35px;"><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 35px;">📆</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 35px;">12/01/2013

</td></tr><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px; vertical-align: middle;">📍</td><td class="align-center" style="border-width: 1px; height: 29px;">Los Angeles, California</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Captured media details**

<table border="1" class="align-center" id="bkmrk-male-female-unknown-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 80%; height: 87.5px; border-width: 1px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 12.962963%;"></col><col style="width: 27.006173%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col><col style="width: 29.938272%;"></col></colgroup><thead><tr style="height: 29.5px;"><td style="border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Male**  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Female**  
</td><td style="height: 29.5px; border-width: 1px;">**Unknown**  
</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">📸</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">  
</td></tr><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">🎙️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;">✔️</td><td class="align-center" style="vertical-align: middle; height: 29px; border-width: 1px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

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### **Experiences &amp; anecdotes**

**11/8/22 -** I remember my first few times seeing the [Lesser Goldfinch](https://ebird.org/species/lesgol) when I lived in California. I was familiar with American Goldfinches at the time but was confused by these birds that had so much more black on them. I thought they looked really cool and the birders I was with identified them. They have a pretty whistling song and I usually find them foraging in trees in groups. The featured photo above was captured at [Crescent Bend Nature Park](https://becausebirds.com/birding-at-crescent-bend-nature-park/) in a bird blind and perch setup.

I haven't quite nailed their song down by ear yet. If I've heard it recently I can pick it out. Certain songs they make I can call, but their presence has surprised me a few times. I had a nice experience recording them at [Denman Park ](https://becausebirds.com/a-lunchtime-birding-trip-around-denman-park/)last year. They were deep inside a tree in the parking lot and their song attracted me to their location. No other birds were in earshot so it made it easy to get good recordings.

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### **Captured media**

#### **Photographs**

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">**[![lesser-goldfinch-2.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/lesser-goldfinch-2.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/lesser-goldfinch-2.jpeg)**</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-an-american-kestrel--1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td class="align-center" style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">A female Lesser Goldfinch lands on a perch for a photo | 07/30/2022</span>*</td></tr></tbody></table>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">  
</span>

<span style="background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">[![lesser-goldfinch-3.jpeg](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/scaled-1680-/lesser-goldfinch-3.jpeg)](https://birding.wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/lesser-goldfinch-3.jpeg)</span>

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-a-poofed-up-kestrel-" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 29px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 99.876543%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 29px;"><td class="align-center" style="height: 29px; background-color: rgb(236, 240, 241);">*A goldfinch clings to some field flowers | 05/18/2014*</td></tr></tbody></table>

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#### **Audio recordings**

- [**ML381426761**](https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/381426761?__hstc=60209138.0eabdcb478af35d25b5f030f3304d3a6.1665242295132.1671233815181.1671242083615.71&__hssc=60209138.5.1671242083615&__hsfp=1889186617&_ga=2.176636003.716056201.1671123340-1061761052.1665242282&_gl=1*6yjxt4*_ga*MTA2MTc2MTA1Mi4xNjY1MjQyMjgy*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTY3MTI0MjA4My43MC4xLjE2NzEyNDQ0NDAuNjAuMC4w) - 0:31 
    - *I love the pretty and chaotic song of the Lesser Goldfinch.*

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="378" src="https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/381426761/embed" width="320"></iframe>

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### **From my blogs**

- [Sepulveda Basin – Birding Summary](https://becausebirds.com/sepulveda-basin-birding-summary/)
- [Bird Banding in Zuma Canyon](https://becausebirds.com/bird-banding-zuma-canyon/)
- [Christmas Bird Count in Los Angeles at Limekiln Canyon](https://becausebirds.com/christmas-bird-count-los-angeles-limekiln-canyon/)
- [Recording and photographing birds at the same time](https://becausebirds.com/recording-and-photographing-birds-at-the-same-time/)
- [Birding in Boerne](https://becausebirds.com/birding-in-boerne/)
- [Birding at Crescent Bend Nature Park](https://becausebirds.com/birding-at-crescent-bend-nature-park/)