Carduelis tristis

The backyard canary of Utah, the American goldfinch has just completed its molt from winter's drab gray-olive-brown plumage to the bright canary-yellow breeding plumage. The yellow body plumage is set off with a black cap on top of the head, and black wings with white wing bars.

Birders who wish to see this colorful songbird need only hang a small mesh screened feeder filled with nyjer thistle. Goldfinches like to cling to this type of feeder as they pull out their favorite seeds. Cone flowers and dandelions will also attract American goldfinches to the yard.

Many backyard birders think the goldfinch has migrated when they no longer see these small finches. The birds, however, remain in Utah throughout the year.

They molt those beautiful yellow canary-looking breeding plumes to save energy for winter survival. The goldfinch's winter plumage shows an olive-brown back and crown with olive-gray underparts. It retains the black wing with white wing bars.

The American goldfinch is a late nester and has a symbiotic relationship with thistle. It delays nesting until the thistle flowers and provides down and seed. It uses the thistle down to line its nest, which it connects to branches with spider silk. The thistle seeds are fed to the young.

American goldfinches are small birds, with a conical-shaped bill for crushing seed hulls. They are 4 to 5 inches long and weigh less than an ounce (0.3-0.71 ounces).

The songbird is abundant, breeding across North America from central Canada southward to northern Nevada, Oklahoma and central Georgia. It winters from the Canadian border south to Mexico. The American goldfinch is gregarious throughout the year and gathers in flocks during winter.

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* BILL FENIMORE is owner of the Layton Wild Bird Center (www.wildbird.com/layton).