Our spring "canaries"
As the days get longer and the snow starts to melt, here in the northern latitudes we start to see the dull feathers of our resident goldfinches slowly give way to bright yellow tinges. It is a strong indication that it is spring even though this year our warmer weather is being delayed by a significant snow pack and below average temperatures.
The American goldfinch is truly a USA bird ranging from the southern half of Canada to a few northern parts of Mexico. It is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey and Washington. They are a beloved bird to many feeder watchers here in Minnesota which is actually the northern-most point of their winter range. They do manage to survive the harsh winters here and will nest later in the summer when the milkweed and thistle have produced their “silk” and seeds for nesting material and food.
In addition to starting their spring molt, our spring “canaries” are singing often with the longer days. From the xeno-cano web site: