Washington State Bird
American Goldfinch

• Official Washington State Bird Name: Willow Goldfinch
• American Ornithologists' Union Common Name: American Goldfinch
• Family: Fringillidae, Finches
• Scientific name: Carduelis tristis
• Length: 5" (13 cm)
• Diet: Insects, seeds of deciduous trees, forbs (especially composites), grass, floral buds, berries. Young fed regurgitant of milky seed pulp; few insects.
• Voice: Song high, musical, rapidly repeated phrases toWEE toWEE toWeeto tweer tweer tweer ti ti ti ti. Call a thin, wiry toweeeowee or tweee; also a soft  tihoo and varitations. Flight call a soft, whistled, descending series ti di di di.
• Habitat: Weedy fields, open second-growth woodlands, roadsides, especially in thistles, sunflowers.
• Displays: Male song-flight on level (rather than typical undulating) flight, rapidly flapping wings.
• Number of broods: 1, occasionally 2
• Nest: In branch fork, often woven so tightly that nest holds water; of forbs, other pliable vegetation, lined with plant down. Caterpillar webbing and spider silk often used to bind outer rim.
• Eggs: Averages 4-6 pale blue or bluish-white, unmarked eggs. 0.6" (16 mm).
• Incubation period: 10-12 days
• Fledge: 11-17 days after hatching
• Longevity Record: 10 Years and 5 months (according to USGS Bird Banding Lab)

The goldfinch is a delicate little bird with a yellow body and black wings, and although it eventually became the official Washington State Bird, many other birds were considered for the title. In 1928, legislators let school children select the state bird and the meadowlark won hands-down. It was a nice choice but seven other states already had chosen the same bird.

A new vote was taken in 1931 by the Washington Federation of Women's Clubs. Many birds were nominated, but the goldfinch won handily over the tanager, Song Sparrow, junco and Pileated Woodpecker. Now there were two state birds and the Legislature decided to leave the final choice to school children. In 1951, children voted for the goldfinch and the Legislature made it unanimous, the Willow Goldfinch was the official Washington State Bird.

Washington Birds

The American Goldfinch is the State Bird of two other States besides Washington:
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