American Goldfinchs in Pennsylvania

American Goldfinchs live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward birch and alder seeds; nyjer and hulled sunflower at feeders.

Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.

Across Pennsylvania, goldfinches typically nest from July–September. Nest site: tight cup in shrubs or saplings, lined with thistle or cattail down; nests late, in July–September. Females lay 2–7 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 11–17 days.

Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.

• American Goldfinchs don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, sugar maple for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.

Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover goldfinches use:

Goldfinches travel in flocks and can empty a finch feeder quickly. Keep nyjer fresh — they abandon stale, moldy seed.

• Best foods: Nyjer (thistle), Hulled sunflower chips, Black-oil sunflower.
• In Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.

Full diet breakdown for goldfinches · Best feeder for goldfinches