Sunshine at the feeder

Lesser Goldfinch, Beaverton, Oregon, 19 November 2011 by Greg Gillson.

 

A nice surprise at the feeder!

A previous post on Lesser Goldfinches.

A cold Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch, Fernhill Wetlands, Forest Grove, Oregon on 24 November 2010 by Greg Gillson.

 

The first snowfall of the season--only a quarter inch--caused the Lesser Goldfinches to be extremely unwary. This bird fed at my feet and refused to fly away! My camera lens wouldn't focus any closer!

Lesser Goldfinches usually migrate out of the cold inland portions of the Pacific Northwest. West of the Cascades in Oregon, however, the winters are usually relatively mild at lower elevations, and Lesser Goldfinches spend the winter.

But during some winters there will be periods of days or a week or more of sub-freezing weather. Some birds survive the cold extremely well. Surprisingly, Anna's Hummingbirds seem to make it through a week of freezing weather. Other birds, termed "half-hardy," at the northern edge of their normal winter range, may have difficulty with prolonged cold weather.

A week-long freeze may find Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, and other birds down in the grass looking for food. They may die. It seems Lesser Goldfinches can be added to this list. Even this single two-day event seemed to cause Lesser Goldfinches some distress. The goldfinches I found this day seemed to be lethargic, and either sleeping in the rose bushes or feeding on the weed seeds at the road edge without regard for their safety. This is quite a change from their normal hyperactive behavior.

I have previously written about this bird: In the Backyard... Lesser Goldfinch.

In the backyard... Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch, Forest Grove, Oregon on 11 April 2009 by Greg Gillson.

 

The Lesser Goldfinch is rather local and rare in the Pacific NW. However, it is nearly as abundant as American Goldfinch in the Willamette Valley of Oregon (especially the west side), in the Rogue and Umpqua Valleys of SW Oregon and in the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon and northern California. This species is much less common east of the Cascades in isolated canyons of eastern and central Oregon. It also occurs in southern Idaho, and in extreme south-central Washington State near the town of Lyle. The bird is rare on the coast north of Coos Bay.

The typical habitat for this species throughout most of its range is dry canyons of oaks. East of the Cascades they are found in riparian areas. They are often found in towns, as well.

Specializing in weed seeds, these cheerful singers with the mournful calls quickly find thistle feeders in backyards offering Niger seeds. Drinking water will also attract these bright-colored birds.