Whatbird.com

For a couple minutes this afternoon two of these birds and a goldfinch were on the hanging birdbath. By the time I grabbed my camera there was only this one bird left. It was larger than the goldfinch. Each section of the bath is 6 inches across to give you an idea of the size. This was in the far NE corner of Colorado.

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Vicki Conklin

This looks like a goldfinch to me... why do you think it's not?

I may be mistaken, but I don't believe it's a goldfinch for a couple reasons. The goldfinches that hang out here are American Goldfinches and are smaller than this bird. I don't know of any goldfinches that do not have a bit of black, brown, green, or grey on the top of their heads and I know of none with black beaks. If this is a goldfinch I would like very much to know what kind.

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Vicki Conklin

I'm certainly not positive that it's a goldfinch, but it still seems like an American goldfinch to me.  Unless it was significantly larger than the goldfinches, size can be very relative.  Also, black beaks can be found on American goldfinches in their non-breeding plumage.  You can go to Cornell's site to see pictures of some with dark beaks.  I have to admit, though, that part of me thinks its a goldfinch just because it was seen with other goldfinches, not exactly a definitive ID.    Maybe someone better with orioles can weigh in on this and give you a 100%-sure answer.

The reason I questioned this in the first place was because the two birds were on the bath with the goldfinch and stood out they were quite a bit larger. The goldfinches in my neighborhood are generally 4 - 4 1/4 inches and "slimmer" than this bird with either a deep black or dark brown cap. The goldfinch that was there definitely had the light colored beak and the black cap. This bird is also larger than the house finches that are always here and the house finches are 5 - 5 1/2 inches. Have my camera on my mini tripod in hopes they will return today so I can get a better picture. Just a note, there are seldom 10 birds in my front yard at one time. Yesterday for a couple hours in the afternoon there was not a time that I saw less than 15 to 20 birds and up to 7 different kinds at a time. They are definitely on the move!

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Vicki Conklin

Size (which can indeed be very tricky) aside, it still looks like nothing but a goldfinch to me. It certainly isn't big enough for an oriole and the bill & overall shape suggest finch.

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"I put it down. you gotta pick it up." —Thelonious Monk

Ok, I'm convinced it's a goldfinch, I think! Much different than the American Goldfinches that live in my yard (NE Colorado). Can anyone tell me what KIND of goldfinch it is?

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Vicki Conklin

This is indeed a female American Goldfinch, which by the way are 5" long.

Doesn't it look like this one is in the early stages of molting, loosing it's breeding plumage?  Perhaps that would explain why this one looks different from the American Goldfinches you are used to seeing.

Chris.

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Chris from Denver