Photo: Omaksimenko / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 12.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Spinus
- Species tristis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Breeding male is bright lemon-yellow with a black cap/forehead and black white-barred wings; breeding female is duller olive-yellow (yellowish below) and lacks the male's black cap.
Juvenile appearance
Dull brown above and pale yellow below, with dull-black wings and tail showing buff (not white) wing and rump markings.
Breeding vs non-breeding
Strong seasonal change: breeding birds are bright, but in nonbreeding/winter plumage both sexes turn drab olive-brown above and buff below (the male keeps yellow shoulder patches).
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The American Goldfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The American Goldfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA Canada to Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.8 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the American Goldfinch?
The American Goldfinch is a very small bird that weighs around 12.8 g.
Where does the American Goldfinch live?
The American Goldfinch is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA Canada to Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the American Goldfinch belong to?
The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the American Goldfinch eat?
The American Goldfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the American Goldfinch migrate?
The American Goldfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the American Goldfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the American Goldfinch make?
1 real field recording of the American Goldfinch can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the American Goldfinch's range?
The American Goldfinch has a mapped global range of about 7.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
How to Attract American Goldfinch to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract American Goldfinch to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (nyjer), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.
American Goldfinch vs Pine Siskin: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a American Goldfinch from a Pine Siskin — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.