American goldfinch, the state bird of three states
The American goldfinch is the state bird of three states: Iowa, which chose it in 1933, New Jersey in 1935 and Washington in 1951. Iowa's and New Jersey's laws call it the eastern goldfinch and Washington's the willow goldfinch, its western form. The breeding male is bright yellow with black wings, and the goldfinch is unusual among birds for nesting late in summer, when thistle seed is ripe.
The 3 states
| State | Designation | Name in state law | Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | State bird | Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)Concurrent resolution of the 45th General Assembly, adopted March 22, 1933 | 1933 |
| New Jersey | State bird | Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)N.J.S.A. 52:9A-1 (L.1935, c.283) | 1935 |
| Washington | State bird | Willow goldfinch (American goldfinch)RCW 1.20.040 | 1951 |
Three states, three names
The American goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey and Washington, though the laws use different names. Iowa named the “eastern goldfinch” in 1933, choosing it, also known as the wild canary, because it is common in Iowa and often stays through the winter. New Jersey followed in 1935, after Senator Dryden Kuser pointed out that 44 other states already had a state bird; senators greeted his bill by whistling, and it first fell four votes short before passing. Washington adopted the “willow goldfinch,” the western form of the same species, in 1951, after two decades in which schoolchildren had first chosen the western meadowlark and a women’s club the goldfinch.
How to recognize it
The goldfinch is a small finch, about 4 to 5 inches long. In the breeding season the male is bright yellow with a black forehead, black wings and tail and white in the wings; the female is duller, yellow-green or gray-brown. In winter both turn drab yellowish brown to gray, with bold wing bars. Goldfinches molt twice a year, which few North American birds do, and their bouncy flight call is often written as “potato chips.”
Late nesters
Goldfinches eat almost nothing but seeds, especially thistle and other daisy-family plants. That shapes their year: they nest unusually late, mostly in July and August, when thistle seed is at its peak, and the female lines the nest with thistle down.
Common
The American goldfinch is a species of least concern, with about 44 million birds, although Audubon notes that numbers may have dropped in some areas. In western Washington it was once rare and became common after forest clearing created weedy second growth and suburbs.
Questions people ask
- Which states have the goldfinch as state bird?
- Three - Iowa, New Jersey and Washington.
- Is the eastern goldfinch the same as the American goldfinch?
- Yes. "Eastern goldfinch" is an older name used in the Iowa and New Jersey laws; the species is now generally called the American goldfinch. Washington's "willow goldfinch" is its western subspecies.
- Why do goldfinches nest so late?
- They nest mostly in July and August, timed to the peak of thistle seed, which they eat and use to line their nests.
- Why did Washington choose the goldfinch?
- Washington schoolchildren first voted for the western meadowlark in 1928, but other states had already claimed it. A women's club vote in 1931 and a schoolchildren's vote in 1951 both chose the goldfinch.
Sources
- American Goldfinch National Audubon Society
- Iowa Official Register 1957-1958 (Forty-seventh Number), "The Eastern Goldfinch, the State Bird of Iowa" State of Iowa (Superintendent of Printing); hosted by the Iowa Legislature
- New Jersey State Symbols research guide: Eastern Goldfinch New Jersey State Library
- Washington State Legislature: Washington State Bird Washington State Legislature