American Goldfinch

tags: Wild Canary, Eastern Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Spinus tristis, Carduelis tristis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] American Goldfinch, also known as the Eastern Goldfinch or the Wild Canary, Spinus (Carduelis) tristis, photographed on the Brazoria Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/320s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification. Review all mystery…
tags: birds, American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, ornithology, Image of the Day A long-time reader, Jerry, sent some images for me to feature as the "image of the day". This is the last image in a series of five. American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis. Image: Jerry Kram. [larger size]. The photographer, Jerry Kram, writes; I know I've sent you a goldfinch before. But they are one of my favorite birds. My father loved goldfinches. He called them wild canaries. He told me that as a child during the Great Depression he and his friends would try to catch them (uniformly unsuccessfully)…