Goldfinches: late summer nesters

Male goldfinches add vibrant yellow flashes of color to summer days. American goldfinches nest in July and August, later than other songbirds, waiting for milkweed and thistle down to be available for lining their nests. While goldfinches are year-round residents in Kentucky, they sport their bright yellow feathers only in summer. The rest of the year, both males and females appear yellowish brown and gray. [Photo by Jennifer Even Melton]