Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria (Say, 1822)
9–12 cmLength8.8 gWeight
The lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) is a small finch in the genus Spinus native to the Americas.
Busiest months: April–May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Colombia
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: April–May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Colombia
Lesser Goldfinch has been recorded at 624 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Madera Canyon – Santa Rita LodgeUnited States30,789 records
- Paton Center for HummingbirdsUnited States25,552 records
- Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States23,690 records
More places
- Ash Canyon Bird SanctuaryUnited States13,382 records
- Anza Trail – TubacUnited States10,725 records
- Frank G. Bonelli RP/Puddingstone Reservoir and vicinityUnited States10,502 records
- Big Morongo Canyon Preserve & Covington ParkUnited States10,049 records
- Warbler Woods Bird SanctuaryUnited States8,542 records
- Mt. Tabor ParkUnited States7,889 records
- IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States7,883 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) is a small finch in the genus Spinus native to the Americas.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Lesser Goldfinch?
The Lesser Goldfinch is about 9–12 cm long and weighs around 8.8 g.
Where does the Lesser Goldfinch live?
Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: western USA to Peru. It is most often recorded in United States, Mexico and Colombia.
When is the best time to see the Lesser Goldfinch?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and May (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Lesser Goldfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Lesser Goldfinch as Least Concern.
What does the Lesser Goldfinch eat?
Main food: Seeds.
What family is the Lesser Goldfinch in?
It belongs to the family Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 9–12 cm
- Weight
- 8.8 g
- Habitat
- Shrubland
- Diet
- Seeds
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 61 mm
- Tail
- 40 mm
- Bill
- 10 mm
- Tarsus
- 12 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
North America, Middle America, South America: western USA to Peru
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Finches, Euphonias Fringillidae
- Genus
- Spinus
Other birds in the genus Spinus
Tibetan SerinSpinus thibetanus
Lawrence's GoldfinchSpinus lawrencei
American GoldfinchSpinus tristis
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
Antillean SiskinSpinus dominicensis
Pine SiskinSpinus pinus
Black-capped SiskinSpinus atriceps
Black-headed SiskinSpinus notatus
Black-chinned SiskinSpinus barbatus
Yellow-bellied SiskinSpinus xanthogastrus
Olivaceous SiskinSpinus olivaceus
Hooded SiskinSpinus magellanicus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Mason Maron. ↗
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