(This month’s “Species Corner” report is provided to us by Dawn Garcia who has also contributed the three-part series in the White-tailed Kite on “Bird Banding”)

Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)

For only one reason is this beautiful little finch called “Lesser,” because it is our tiniest finch with a body length nearing four inches and mass of approximately 10 grams (about the weight of two nickels!).  The genus Carduelis is coined from the Latin carduus or “thistle,” a favorite food of the little finch, which forages mainly on seeds, fruits, flowers, buds, and few insects.  The species name psaltria is Greek for “lute player” likely referring to the males’ song consisting of “variable notes and phrases repeated randomly in rambling intricate, melody.”  The petite finch is also a mimic, incorporating notes of up to 39 other avian species in its song repertoire!  Five subspecies of Lesser Goldfinch are recognized throughout their range; the Pacific States from southwest Washington through the Southwestern States, through Mexico and South America from Venezuela and Columbia west and south into parts of Ecuador and Peru. In California C. p. hesperophilia, is a widespread breeder; however it appears not to occur in higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Range.  Depending on where you are bird watching you may see black-backed or green-backed males.   Generally, green-backed males are seen west of Colorado and New Mexico and black-backed males between Colorado and Texas and south of these states.

Our California males are green-backed with black caps, and bright yellow underparts.  Drabber females wear olive green feathers on their backs and yellowish plumes on their underparts.  White wing patches on both sexes and large white tail patches on male finches, flash conspicuously in flight, and are flaunted by displaying males.  Where water sources are reliable, this species is found in a variety of habitats.  Courting males will sing from tops of deciduous or coniferous trees.  Near the ground, foraging flocks can light up a field of senesced grasses and weeds, like tiny yellow flames. Females (with scant help from an observing mate) will weave their dainty cup nests in dense vegetation of trees or shrubs.  In California, three to six pale bluish eggs are laid and incubated by the female.

Recently, a Lesser Goldfinch was found by the Brusie’s, a birding couple who live along lower Bidwell Park in Chico.  The victim of a window strike, the bird was found wearing a silver federal band!  Through the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) we found that the finch was originally banded by folks at the Klamath Bird Observatory (Ashland, Oregon), at a study site along the Klamath River, just north of the Oregon-California border.  He was originally banded on August 12, 2004, and identified as a hatch year; he was approximately 1.5 years old when he died.  The BBL longevity record for a Lesser Goldfinch is 5 years 8 months.  As the finch flies, the bird was about 150 miles from his original band site one year later.  This is pretty exciting news because only 5 Lesser Goldfinches have ever been recaptured outside of the county or 10 minute block where they were originally banded!   Our information concurs with the existing idea that Lesser Goldfinches are short distance migrants and their movement patterns are nomadic and sporadic in occurrence.   Because we are banding Lesser Goldfinches at the Big Chico Creek Reserve, just north of Bidwell Park, keep your eyes open for banded birds.  Lucky for us, the beautiful Lesser Goldfinch is a common year-round sight in our area and even in our own backyards.