Goldfinch behaviour

Tringa · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2011, 01:32 PM

Until last December we saw goldfinches in the garden for only about 3 weeks or so in late January.

The snow and cold weather of last winter brought in many more (20+ at times) and they stayed a lot longer - when I did the Garden Bird Watch in the spring, goldfinches were the most numerous bird.

Some time in April, I think, they disappeared and we have not seen any until yesterday when a group of about 8 appeared. They are still around today on the feeders, but all are juveniles; there are no adults.

Is this usual behaviour?

We assumed all adult birds introduced their young to food sources (at least initially) - the local sparrows and blue tits turned up earlier in the summer with their youngsters and I've seen groups of adult and young starlings. As we had not seen any adult and young goldfinches we assumed they were not breeding locally, but this group of juveniles suggests there were some nearby broods.

Dave

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2011, 01:35 PM

There was probably an ample amount of natural food for your Goldfinches, so they had no reason to come to the gardens. Maybe now they are showing the young the good garden spots as food may be running low in the natural environment?

Nige

Tringa · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2011, 08:55 AM

Thanks for the comment about changing food supplies Nige, but its not the adults showing the young alternative food sources - all the goldfinches in the garden now are juveniles, not a adult in sight and we've not seen an adult since April.

Hope at least some of the juveniles decide to stay and perhaps breed next year.

Dave

Dogghound · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2011, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tringa

Is this usual behaviour?

Yes this is normal behaviour Dave. You often get large flocks of exclusively juvenile birds in late summer/autumn. The adults initially introduce the fledgelings to food and stay together for a short while in a family group before the juveniles leave and group up together with other juveniles. The adults then moult, and then when finished meet back up with the juveniles to form larger winter mixed age flocks.