Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) is in the Finches, Euphonias, and Allies family (Fringillidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 84,616 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Lesser Goldfinch: observations by month (U.S.)
About Lesser Goldfinch
The lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) is a very small songbird of the Americas. Together with its relatives the American goldfinch and Lawrence's goldfinch, it forms the American goldfinches clade in the genus Spinus sensu stricto.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Lesser Goldfinch by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 52,470 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Texas | 12,388 | April | Dec–Oct |
| Arizona | 7,447 | April | Nov–Sep |
| Oregon | 3,907 | May | Apr–Mar |
| New Mexico | 2,472 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Utah | 1,891 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Colorado | 1,486 | June | May–Sep |
| Nevada | 982 | September | Mar–Jan |
| Idaho | 695 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Washington | 621 | November | Jan–Nov |
| Nebraska | 61 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Montana | 57 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Wyoming | 44 | July | May–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 32 | September | Aug–Sep |
| South Dakota | 22 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | 17 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Florida | 9 | May | May–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Purple Finch
Evening Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
Cassin's Finch
Redpoll
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lesser Goldfinch?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to February.
Where is Lesser Goldfinch most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Arizona.