Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult male "Texas form"
- Small and stocky songbird
- Black cap
- Texas males show solid black back
- Bright yellow underparts
- © Greg Page, TX, South Llano River State Park, July 2010
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult male "Texas form"
- Small and stocky with stubby, pointed bill and short tail
- Yellow undertail
- Black crown and white patches on wings
- Some black-backed males can be found in Colorado, but mostly in Texas
- © Darin Ziegler, CO, Colorado Springs, June 2011
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult male "Western form"
- Small and compact songbird
- Short, pointy gray bill
- Lemon-yellow underparts contrast with black and white patterned wings
- Black crown with olive back
- © Collins Cochran, AZ, Southern, June 2008
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult male "Western form"
- Very small and stocky songbird
- Short-tailed
- Black crown contrasts with olive nape and back
- Lemon-yellow underparts
- © Joan Gellatly, AZ, Tucson, January 2010
Lesser Goldfinch
Immature male "Western form"
- Small, stocky and short-tailed
- Bright lemon yellow below, including undertail
- Stocky, pointed black bill
- Immature males show developing black cap
- © Jim Farley, CA, Wildlands Conservancy, Oak Glen, October 2011
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult female
- Very small and compact songbird with short, pointed gray bill
- Pale olive-yellow overall with yellow undertail
- Short tail
- Faint, pale yellow wing-bars
- © Cameron Rognan, CA, Fort Irwin, October 2007
Lesser Goldfinch
Adult female
- Small and compact with short tail
- Females vary from dull olive to brighter yellow overall
- Pale wing-bars
- © Joan Gellatly, AZ, Winterhaven, Tucson, February 2011
Similar Species
Breeding adult male
- Slightly larger than Lesser Goldfinch
- Bright yellow above and below
- Boldly patterned black and white wings
- White undertail
- © Robin Arnold, OH, April 2008
Adult Nonbreeding
- Slightly larger than Lesser Goldfinch
- Wings more boldly patterned with black and white
- White undertail
- © Bill Thompson, Hadley, MA, January 2012
Adult male
- More elongated and longer-tailed than Lesser Goldfinch
- Silver/gray overall with bright yellow wings
- Black cap and face
- Yellow wash on upper breast
- © Jean Halford, March 2007
Adult female
- More elongated and longer-tailed than Lesser Goldfinch
- Mostly dull gray overall
- Bright yellow wing bars
- © Brian E. Small, June 2000