Where did they go? This question is often asked each fall about the American Goldfinch. The American Goldfinch, sometimes called the Wild Canary, is the size of a House Sparrow. The male is bright yellow with a black forehead and black wings while the female is a drab brownish-yellow and resembles a fall Warbler. Both sexes have a small conical bill. The male loses its colorful plumage in the fall and looks a lot like the female. As a result, the male becomes difficult to identify. Studies show that the winter plumage of the male has an additional 1,000 feathers than its summer plumage. About 80% of this species migrate but there are always some that spend the winter in our area. The loss of the male's colorful plumage helps to answer the question, "Where did they go?" Look for the male as its colorful plumage gradually returns during March.
The American Goldfinch is a common migrant and summer resident of our locale. It has a breeding range from southern Canada to northern California. It will often form breeding pairs during the winter months but will not begin nesting until July to mid-August. The deeply cupped nest is well constructed and fairly waterproof. It can hold water for nearly 24 hours. The female lays four to six pale blue eggs that hatch in about two weeks. Occasionally, a Brown-headed Cowbird will lay an egg in the nest of a Goldfinch. Even if it hatches, it will seldom survive on the diet of the Goldfinch. The Goldfinch feeds its young about every half-hour by regurgitation. Its diet consists of the seeds of various grasses and thistles. This colorful bird is a frequent visitor to bird feeders and can be identified by its characteristic "dip" during flight.
Tom and Mary Hagerty, of Jackson Township in Hancock County, reported seeing a Snow Bunting. It was feeding on the ground near their feeder on 14 February 2008. On the same day, Norm Pratt of Dunkirk reported seeing a flock of Snow Buntings near SR 701 in Hardin County. Numerous flocks have been seen since a recent snowfall. The Snow Bunting is a winter visitor and is slightly larger than the House Sparrow.
It has white wings, a rust-colored crown, and appears to be mostly white during flight. On 19 January 1999, I observed a flock of 350-400 feeding in Liberty Township in Hardin County. Suddenly, the entire flock took flight in perfect formation, circled, and then landed in a corn-stubble field near the road. What an exciting performance by this large flock of Snow Buntings!
Be sure to look for the return of the male Red-winged Blackbird. On 15 March 2003, I observed the first returning males to this area. With the help of Jim Barnhill, I was able to track their northward migration. Jim is a competent ornithologist and was instrumental in establishing the Hancock County Naturalists. In 2004 males were seen on a regular basis since March 3. My earliest recorded sighting was on 20 February 2001. The females follow the males northward in about two weeks.
The Red-wing is larger than the House Sparrow and slightly smaller than the American Robin. It is a common migrant and summer resident of northwest and west central Ohio. The male is black with an epaulet, or shoulder patch, on each wing. The epaulet is red with a yellow boarder. The red is sometimes concealed with only the yellow boarder visible. The female is brownish in color and resembles a large sparrow with stripes. Red-wings have a varied diet that consists of grain, insects, small fruits, and even small aquatic animals. Nesting activities begin in early April. The young fledge in early to mid-May. Roosting mega-flocks of over 500,000 individuals have been recorded near Columbus and Toledo in the '60s and '70s. These mega-flocks consist primarily of Red-wings, European Starlings, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.
Enjoy the spring movement of birds as they return from their southern wintering grounds. They can be seen in a variety of habitats such as open areas, woodlands, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and rivers and their tributaries.
Duane Smith may be contacted at gideon@wcoil.com
