Female Lesser Goldfinches (Male vs Female Identification)

Little Goldfinch (sea ​​buckthorn) is a small songbird native to the western United States, Mexico, and Central America. They are distinguished by their beautiful olive, yellow and black plumage.

Males and females of this species are sexually dimorphic – meaning they have different plumage colors, which makes them easy to distinguish from one another.

Smaller goldfinch females have duller plumage compared to males. They are predominantly olive green with light gray wings rather than glossy black. They also don’t have the black caps worn by male baby goldfinch.

The two sexes also exhibit behavioral differences, especially in vocalization and care of pups. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into what makes a female baby goldfinch unique. Read on to discover more!

Close-up of a female baby goldfinch

How do you know if a baby goldfinch is a male or a female?

Plumage differences are the best way to tell if a baby goldfinch is male or female. Males are brighter, with glossy black caps and canary-yellow underparts. On the other hand, smaller goldfinch females are more olive-colored and do not have black caps.

Their underparts may also be yellow, but not as bright as the males. In general, the plumage of a female bird is duller than that of her mate.

Juvenile baby goldfinches are very similar to adult females, but juvenile goldfinches are generally more subdued in appearance. Their upper body is more brown than olive, and their wings are tan rather than light gray. The white patches on the wings are also noticeably smaller or indistinct.

female little goldfinch

male little goldfinch

What does a female baby goldfinch look like?

Adult female young goldfinch are usually a uniform olive green in color but may have bright yellow breasts and underparts. Her wings are dark gray to light gray with small white spots at the tips. Sometimes the female has a faint dark stripe on the crest of her head.

Close-up of a female baby goldfinch

Are baby goldfinch females bigger than males?

On average, smaller goldfinch females are smaller than males. Males have slightly longer wings, tail, tarsals, and tarsals. They are also generally more massive than females, although the difference may be small.

The time of year can also affect smaller goldfinch mass. Females may weigh slightly more than males in spring (8.2 versus 8.0), but males generally weigh more in winter (8.4 versus 9.6).

Left (female) and right (male) pair of small goldfinch

behavioral difference

Male and female young goldfinch exhibit several behavioral differences that set them apart. The most notable differences are in their use of vocalizations and responsibilities in nest building and feeding young.

sing and call

Like most female songbirds, female young goldfinch cannot sing. Calling is a behavior unique to males and is used to attract mates during nesting season. While the eggs are hatching, the male will usually continue to sing regularly.

Females may not sing, but they do emit a series of calls used for communication. These include contact calls, alarm and distress calls, threat calls, pre-delivery calls and feeding calls.

Smaller goldfinches typically use contact phones to communicate within the flock while foraging. Of course, sirens and distress calls are used to signal and warn of potential threats. Threatening calls, on the other hand, signal aggression against another bird, such as an older female chasing a younger female from her territory.

Finally, feeding and pre-mating calls are forms of communication between mates. The latter only vocalize before mating, while the female makes a feeding noise every time the male brings her food in the nest.

Female baby goldfinch perched on an agave plant in southeastern Arizona, USA

nesting and feeding

Beginning with nest building, the smaller goldfinch females have different nest building and feeding responsibilities than the males. Despite the presence of the male, the female chooses the nesting site and begins material gathering and construction on her own. Her mate will stay nearby but rarely assist with nest building.

After building the nest and laying the last egg, the female baby goldfinch begins to hatch. Males do not participate in incubation. Instead, he regularly brings food to the female, since she cannot leave the nest long enough to forage for herself.

After the eggs hatch, the female remains in the nest to incubate the chicks for a few days. During this time, her partner continued to provide food. However, once the brooding period is over, both parents leave the nest to forage and provide food for their offspring.

Female baby goldfinch collecting nesting material

Can a female baby goldfinch raise her young alone?

Smaller goldfinch females are less likely to raise their young alone. Females barely leave the nest during the incubation and brooding period, which lasts nearly three weeks in total. During this time, she relies on her mate for food.

Leaving the nest unattended makes their young vulnerable and may cause the eggs to fail to hatch.

What color is the female baby goldfinch?

The female young goldfinch is predominantly olive green, with light gray wings and thin, white wing bars. Females may occasionally have dark markings on their heads. Bright yellow changes can also appear on the chest and abdomen.

Male (left) and female (right) baby goldfinch at a bird feeder

Do female baby goldfinch bark?

The call of a female baby goldfinch is not much different from that of a male. Both sexes use contact calls, threat calls and alarm calls. However, pre-mating vocalizations and feeding calls are female-specific.

Females use these sounds to communicate with their mates during breeding and nesting.

Can a female baby goldfinch sing?

The smaller goldfinch females do not sing. The singing vocalization is used only by the males, usually from the beginning of the breeding season until the incubation period.