Every passage below is reprinted word for word from Thomas Gentry’s Nests and Eggs of the Birds of the United States (1882) and Chester Reed’s Bird Guide: Land Birds East of the Rockies (1906) — Victorian-era accounts drawn from handled nests, reproduced as historical description — cited in full at the end.
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Generally, where it is found at all, it exists in great abundance. In some portions of its habitat it is not a permanent resident, but migrates southward with the approach of cold weather, only to resume its northern journey again with the recurrence of another spring. In British America it is a late summer visitor, and departs early in September.
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It is a migrant in the northern parts of New England, and the same may be true of places situated in corresponding latitudes, while in the southern districts it remains through the entire year. In Eastern Pennsylvania, if the weather be not extremely severe, paired individuals, and even flocks of a half-dozen or more, may be met with in sheltered localities.
In early autumn larger bodies of birds are met with, and the same is true in April, when there is an increased supply of food. When the ground is covered with snow, and the trees laden with ice and sleet, they lead very nomadic lives, and are often compelled to seek the habitations of man where they freely mingle with the Snowbirds and Sparrows, to receive their share of refuse from the kitchen.
They now become exceedingly tame, and can be approached without difficulty. While partaking of our hospitalities, this Finch disdains not its natural food. It will lay siege to a honeysuckle, if in fruit, and gorge itself to satiety–a berry for which it manifests great fondness. The seeds of the radish, and of the various species of amaranths and pigweeds that grow in our midst, are also sought after, and devoured in vast numbers.
In woods various species of coniferous seeds, the mast of the black beech, and the seeds of grasses form an important part of its diet. When the red maples are in blossom, dozens of these birds will settle down in the trees, and feast for hours upon the tender stamens and pistils, and the small insects which are attracted thither.
As the season advances, and the apple and cherry come into bloom, the same fate awaits them. To the gardener they are sources of annoyance. They visit the garden when the soil has been broken, apparently for the writhing, scampering beings unearthed, but avowedly for the freshly-sown, delicious salad-seeds, every grain of which they pilfer, unless driven away by force.
Later on they revel in high life, for the dandelion, thistles and sunflowers have perfected their fruits. Although chiefly a granivorous species, the Goldfinch does not subsist entirely upon seeds, but destroys vast numbers of insects in all their different stages. Various measuring-worms, diptera, ants and plant-lice are destroyed, which, doubtless, largely-outweigh the mischief which they commit.
Later on they revel in high life, for the dandelion, thistles and sunflowers have perfected their fruits.
Nesting waits for mid-June
About the fifteenth of June, sometimes as early as the middle of the preceding month, the birds settle down to the business which has brought them together. Some time is spent in the selection of a suitable tree, and in fixing upon a position. One tree after another is visited, before one is found which combines the requisites of shelter, security and convenience.
When the birds make up their minds to build in an orchard, a pear-tree is usually their choice. In other situations a seeming preference is manifested for the maple and willow. Perhaps, any tree where numerous small branches radiate, nearly in the same circle, from a common stem, will be found to be available. The height of the nest above the ground is usually about fifteen feet. Occasionally, greater elevations are taken. Sometimes a horizontal branch with divergent twigs is chosen, instead of one that is nearly vertical.
A nest felted from thistledown
Than the nest of the Thistle Bird, as this species is sometimes called, no more beautiful structure of the basket in form and the felted in texture is known to exist. In shape it is symmetrical, delicately and neatly woven, and skilfully and securely fastened to the forked twigs between which it is placed. In beauty of design, and elegance of finish, it is a perfect model of architectural skill.
A structure before us from Philadelphia may be considered as typical. It is placed in a crotch, and held in situ by four small nearly upright branches, which are partially wrought into the fabric. The outside is composed of the tassels of the common chestnut, stems of knotweed, leaves, fragments of fungus, interwoven with an excess of flax-like fabrics and vegetable wool.
The inside is lined with divers shreds of dandelion and thistle, neatly and compactly felted. The external diameter and height are each two and a half inches, and the cavity two at the rim and the same in depth.
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In New England, according to Samuels, the nest of this species is built of soft strips of the cedar and grape-vine bark, which are elaborately woven into a compact structure around a deep hollow, which is softly lined with the down of thistles, and, occasionally, with a few feathers.
Six days to build, ten to hatch
After the completion of the nest, which ordinarily requires the united efforts of both birds for six days to accomplish, the female, on the following day, begins to deposit her eggs. These to the number of five are laid at the rate of one a day. Incubation commences on the day subsequent to the last deposit, and lasts for ten days.
This duty devolves exclusively upon the female. The only part which the male performs is the indirect one of providing his companion with suitable nourishment. When not thus engaged he cheers the tedium of her task by an agreeable ditty. By some writers he is considered more of a dandy than a family man, as he spends the greater portion of his time with his fellows in the pursuit of food, in the arrangement of his toilet, or in the pleasures of the bath.
Our experience is different. While he takes no direct part in the incubating process, his affection for his mate, and his constant desire to please her, prove him to be, in every sense, a model companion. When their home is assailed, he does not sneak away, and allow his partner to bear the brunt of the battle to be waged in its defence, but comes boldly to the front, and with loud clamors, angry gesticulations, and wide open jaws, unites with her to expel the intruder.
Where frequent interferences occur, the birds are often forced to forsake their nest, and seek other quarters. This perhaps will account for the fact that nests with eggs are sometimes found as late as the fifteenth of July, and others with young birds during the last week of August. Such delays are doubtless of common occurrence.
Why some nests run into August
The destruction of a nest while incubation is progressing, most generally leads to the renewal of the attempt in some other place. The desire for offspring will often be found to triumph over the most insuperable difficulties. We have known instances where the same pair had been thwarted four times in succession, and as often renewed the attempt.
An unfortunate male or female may sometimes be doomed to lead the life of a celibate, by reason of the scarcity of individuals of the opposite sex. Perhaps an event has occurred which has altered the status of affairs. A male has died, and his partner is compelled to break up house-keeping, or seek another.
If she does the latter, her companion may be a widower, or one that has been unable to enter into matrimonial relations for the reasons already assigned. Not willing to father the responsibilities of another, the old home, and its once precious charges if there be any, must be abandoned, and another domicile constructed and peopled.
The mating being effected, a suitable spot chosen, a home prepared, and the subsequent duties of oviposition and incubation successfully passed through, all of which requiring time, it is not remarkable that nests should be found so late in the season.
Coming back from this necessary digression, the young are from eleven to twelve days old when they leave the nest. The addition of a week or ten days to this period finds them sufficiently matured to attend to their own wants. At first they are fed by the parents upon various soft-bodied insects, which they glean from the branches and foliage of trees, but later on, butterflies and various species of andrena and halictus are brought to them.
When able to provide for themselves, they consort with their parents, and subsist with them on various kinds of seeds and berries.
The eggs, and the one-brood verdict
The eggs of this species, when fresh, are white, with a slight roseate tinge. In blown specimens they show a faint bluish hue. Their nearest counterparts are Lawrence’s Goldfinch, from which they are scarcely distinguishable. They are usually four in number, although five sometimes occur, and in shape are oval. Their dimensions vary even in the same nest-full.
Specimens from New England vary from .68 by .53 to .63 by .50 inches. Others from California measure .60 by .50. Pennsylvania eggs have an average measurement of .66 by .53. Considerable diversity of opinion exists as to the number of broods annually raised. Nuttall alleges that they raise two, but seems to base his assertion upon the fact that nests are found from the first of July to the middle of September, which in our estimation is wholly accounted for by explanations given above.
The mass of writers, however, differ from him, and believe the species to raise but a single brood annually. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we can safely say that not a single case has occurred to us of double-broodedness.
Why so late? The thistle answer
It may be thought strange that these birds should, as a rule, be so dilatory in their movements, so far as the assumption of matrimonial relations is concerned, being even behind the generality of our Warblers, which are not so well-adapted to the climate as they. An explanation of the matter has been attempted by Dr. Brewer.
He seems to think that the cause is attributable to the scarcity of proper aliment for the young in early summer. The greater abundance of insects found in July, especially in their larval stages, which must necessarily constitute a fair percentage of their diet at first, would seem to contradict such a statement. Our experience goes to show that more nests with young birds are found from the middle of June to about the tenth of July than at any subsequent period, just at the time when insect life riots in luxuriance.
A field guide’s summary, 1906
These beautiful little creatures are often known as Thistle-birds and Wild Canaries, the former name because they are often seen on thistles, from the down of which their nests are largely made, and the latter name because of the sweet canary-like song. Their flight is a peculiar series of undulations accompanied by an intermittent twitter.
They are very sociable and breed usually in communities as well as travel in flocks in the winter. Their food is chiefly of seeds and they often come to gardens in fall and winter to partake of sunflower seeds, these flowers often being raised for the sole purpose of furnishing food for the finches in the winter.
Nest.—Of thistledown, plant fibres and grasses, in forks of bushes, most often willows or alders near water. Four or five unmarked, pale bluish eggs.
The goldfinch year, as the sources state it
| Season or stage | In the sources’ words |
|---|---|
| Winter | nomadic flocks seek the habitations of man and mingle with the Snowbirds and Sparrows |
| Spring | dozens settle in blossoming red maples and feast on stamens, pistils, and the insects drawn there |
| Late summer food | the dandelion, thistles and sunflowers have perfected their fruits |
| Nesting begins | about the fifteenth of June, sometimes as early as mid-May; nest usually about fifteen feet up |
| Nest lining | shreds of dandelion and thistle, neatly and compactly felted; in New England, the down of thistles |
| Building and laying | six days to build; five eggs at one a day |
| Incubation | ten days, by the female alone |
| Young leave the nest | at eleven to twelve days old |
| Late nests | eggs as late as the fifteenth of July, young into the last week of August — renewals after failed attempts |
| Broods | Gentry’s verdict: a single brood annually |
Source
Thomas G. Gentry, Nests and Eggs of the Birds of the United States (1882), Plate XLI, American Goldfinch. Project Gutenberg #45063. Chester A. Reed, Bird Guide: Land Birds East of the Rockies (1906), American Goldfinch entry. Project Gutenberg #45630. Public domain. Project Gutenberg #45063 and #45630.
Passages reproduced verbatim; Gentry’s collector-name-dropping geographic opening and two passages on caged birds and courtship are omitted at paragraph boundaries, nothing paraphrased. Mechanical edits: hard-wrapped lines rejoined; illustration placeholders and italic underscores dropped; three OCR fixes — “.63 by 50 inches” → “.63 by .50 inches”, “.60 by 50.” → “.60 by .50.”, “as they An explanation” → “as they. An explanation.” No other changes.
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