8am bird hike with some
nerds that know their birds. You could tell this baby (actually a juvenile) was trying to gather it's own seeds but ended up frustrated. The mom ignored it for a while as she filled up on Purple Coneflower seeds. Then came over and almost got pounced as she was trying to regurgitate the goods into junior's mouth! It's funny that juveniles like this one don't really look that young but they really are pretty helpless on their own. Look how special their feet are - designed to grip swinging stems of flower seedheads.
American Goldfinches have interesting aerial maneuvers as part of their mating rituals. They mate and nest much later in the season than most birds because they eat seeds and there are many more seeds available in the late summer and fall. From Wikipedia, info. about their nests:
"The nest is built in late summer by the female in the branches of a deciduous shrub or tree at a height of up to 10 meters (30 ft). The nest-building lasts approximately six days, during which time the female works in 10–40 minute increments. The male frequently flies with the female as she collects nesting materials, and though he may carry some materials back to the nest, he leaves its construction to the female. The outer shell of the nest is built of bark, weeds, vines, and grass.[20] The inside diameter of the finished nest is about 6.5 centimeters (2.5 in).[19] The rim is reinforced with bark bound by spiderwebs and caterpillar silk, and the cup is lined with plant down from milkweed, thistle, or cattail. The nest is so tightly woven that it can hold water, and it is possible for nestlings to drown following a rainstorm if the parents do not cover the nest.[14]"
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