American Goldfinch

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.

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) because they couldn't afford to buy anything as luxurious as a pet parakeet. Even though he never caught one, to the end of his days he loved to watch and listen to their song.