A small finch of North America. Breeding males are bright yellow in spring, while females and winter birds are duller. It feeds mainly on plant seeds.
Breeding males in spring are bright yellow and black. Females and winter birds are duller.
American Goldfinches appeared in a window-collision study on Duke University’s West Campus in North Carolina. Researchers surveyed six buildings for 21 days in spring and fall seasons. They recorded seven goldfinch collisions during standardized surveys and eight in incidental reports, comparing collision records among buildings.
Buildings with more glass tended to have more collisions, and Fitzpatrick, the building with the largest window area, had the most. A dotted film was later installed on sections of its glass. Penn, the building with patterned glass, had two collisions despite being almost entirely glass.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
At Duke’s West Campus, researchers recorded American Goldfinch collisions during both standardized surveys and incidental reporting. Buildings with more glass had more collisions, and dotted film was added to the building with the most. Local records can help guide window-specific mitigation.