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American Goldfinch


American Goldfinch
Photo Information
Copyright: Mario Belanger (EOSF1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1330 W: 107 N: 4804] (21334)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-14
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L IS USM, ISO 400, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-14 8:32
Viewed: 478
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
An American Golfinch male (Carduelis tristis, 13cm) that I shot this morning in the garden.

From: www.birds.cornell.edu

A familiar and abundant small colorful bird, the American Goldfinch is frequently found in weedy fields and visiting feeders. It shows a particular fondness for thistles, eating the seeds and using the down to line its nest.
Description
Small bird.
Bill small, pointed, conical, and pink.
Body bright yellow to dull brown.
Wings dark with large white wingbars.
Tail short and notched.
Breeding male bright yellow with black cap and wings.
Size: 11-13 cm (4-5 in)
Wingspan: 19-22 cm (7-9 in)
Weight: 11-20 g (0.39-0.71 ounces)
Sex Differences
Summer male is bright yellow with a black cap whereas female is drab olive. Sexes similar and drab in winter.
Sound
Song a long series of twittering and warbling notes. Common contact call a "tsee-tsi-tsi-tsit," often given in flight. May be described as "per-chic-o-ree" or "po-ta-to-chip."
Conservation Status
Abundant and widespread. Populations appear stable.
Other Names
Chardonneret jaune (French)
Dominiquito viajero, Dominiquito triste (Spanish)
Cool Facts
The American Goldfinch changes from winter plumage to breeding plumage by a complete molt of its body feathers. It is the only member of its family to have this second molt in the spring; all the other species have just one molt each year in the fall.
The American Goldfinch is one of the latest nesting birds. It usually does not start until late June or early July, when most other songbirds are finishing with breeding. The late timing may be related to the availability of suitable nesting materials and seeds for feeding young.
The American Goldfinch is gregarious throughout the year. In winter it is found almost exclusively in flocks. In the breeding season it feeds in small groups. Whether it maintains breeding territories is debatable.
The American Goldfinch is mostly monogamous, but a number of females switch mates after producing a first brood. The first male takes care of the fledglings while the female goes off to start another brood with a different male.
Evelynn, crs, darwin, jaycee, cataclysta, nglen, Amadeo, siggi, Hil, uleko, Argus, maurydv, Juyona, CeltickRanger, dB_grafix, Miss_Piggy, albert, goldyrs, parthasarathi, pierrefonds, cicindela has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To albert: Merci Albert!EOSF1 1 07-18 08:12
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Critiques [Translate]

Merhaba Mario,rekleri cok etkileyici ve oldukca sevimli bir kus.Sen de bunu harika fotogratlamissin,tebrikler :))

Good work, Mario.
I like the bird's blacks and its sharpness.
Well done overall
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 276 W: 0 N: 404] (1653)
  • [2008-07-14 9:04]

Hi Mario,

This is one of your wonderfull images I like so much. It is astonishing the quality of the image and the feeling photo gives you. I feel I could toutch the bird so clear is the image. The composition with sharp clear main subject and blurry background looks great and let the viewer fell like in front of real a 3D image.

Congartulations,
Cristian

Hi Mario
Fantastic shot,details are crystal clear and color contrast is wonderful
tfs jon

This is a nice sharp image Mario. The violet background sets off the yellow complement really nicely.

TFS
Evelynn : )

Hello Mario,
What a beauty! Excellent sharpness and contrasting colours. Very beautiful dark BG. Great POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1786 W: 8 N: 4638] (14987)
  • [2008-07-14 9:16]

Hi Mario,

A wonderful Goldfinch in a terrific pose on the violet tinted branch which creates a very unusual atmosphere. Colors of the bird are so vivid and beautiful. The clarity is superb. Composition is marvelous - a beautiful shot.

Jane

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5557] (20998)
  • [2008-07-14 10:02]

Hi Mario. What a bright beauty this is . which you have captured with fine detail and natural colours. the little bird loks so healthy and alert. good use of the light in this one. and interesting notes. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi Mario, this has gone on the favourite list...the image is stunningly beautiful, clear, sharp and detailed. the background is unreal, it compliments this bird so well. An amazing composition. regards h

  • Great 
  • Amadeo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 197 W: 0 N: 661] (2933)
  • [2008-07-14 11:12]

Muy bonita Mario, muy buena definición, luz y color. El fondo contrasta muy bien con el motivo. Un saludo

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 286 W: 3 N: 779] (2796)
  • [2008-07-14 11:31]

Hello Mario
Great shot - good framing plus great colour and excellent detail. Well observed and captured.
Regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 744 W: 11 N: 1408] (4839)
  • [2008-07-14 11:38]

Hi Mario,

Great shot of the Goldfinc.
Nicely composed with a fine pose and a lovely POV.
Nice details and beautiful colours.
I like the blue BG a lot.

Hil

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2466 W: 168 N: 7458] (23564)
  • [2008-07-14 11:51]

Hello Mario,
This little Goldfinch looks really gorgeous against the dark violet background. I love its pose and the beautiful plumage. Excellent sharpness and beautiful light and colours. Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2611 W: 133 N: 7494] (23373)
  • [2008-07-14 12:18]

Hello Mario,
A beautiful male American Goldfinch well taken against a fantastic contrasting BG. The pose, POV, sharpness, plumage details and colours contribute to make this an excellent well-composed image.
TFS this beauty,
Ivan

Hi Mario, fantastic colors!
Great capture of this lovely bird, perfect focus and wonderful blurry BG, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Meravigliosa composizione con una posa "dinamica" su un "artistico" BG, straordinaria definizione dei dettagli del piumaggio, fantastica la brillantezza dei colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2041 W: 6 N: 2025] (13275)
  • [2008-07-14 14:45]

Hola Mario,
fina captura y original bg,
foco y color magníficos,
saludos

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1002 W: 6 N: 2700] (10017)
  • [2008-07-14 16:09]

Hi,just marking,no time,thanks for share,Luciano

salut Mario

superbe image Chardonneret jaune avec cette étonnante
couleur mauve foncé de l'arrière-plan, cela fait un excellent
contraste avec l'oiseau qui a aussi une excellente luminosité,
excellent POV et cadrage avec de superbes netteté et détails,

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 165 W: 1 N: 124] (1982)
  • [2008-07-14 17:21]

Salut Mario,
Superbe ce chardonneret. Belle posture avec de beaux détails.
Merci pour le partage,
Roger

What a very stark background to compliment the colours of the goldfinch. Impressive composition with the one branch from the side. Have a good week.
Doug

Hello Mario,
Great shot, fantastic sharpness, depthy of field and composition, beautiful vivid colors and excellent details.
Angela

Hallo Mario
I just admire this photo. The details on the feathers are really stunning and it looks as if they were coloured painted by hand one by one. The layers of plumage are so precise and tidy and so beautiful and vivid. Well done on the close-up work and successful point of view, which ended up in a perfect result. Thanks for sharing this delightful image.
Kind regards
Anna

Hi Mario
Yellow on grey. Perfect shot. Great colors, good exposure Nothing to critique
TFS
Krzysztof

Bonjour Mario,
Il faudra un jour que tu m'expliques comment tu reussis de telle superbes photos d'aussi beau oiseaux??,
Es tu en affut avec le trepied ?

Bravo pour cette superbe photo
Albert

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1692 W: 242 N: 5589] (19849)
  • [2008-07-15 11:31]

Hello Mario,
this is a superb photo!
The BG is excellent.
Very good clarity and excellent detail.
Brilliant DOF too.

Very well done,
Joe

A lovely shot, mario, with very beautiful colours!
Very well done!
Cheers!
Goldy

Great shot of the Goldfinc.
Nicely composed with beautiful colours.

Bonjour Mario,

Le chardonneret jaune sur la brranche attire le regard. La prise de vue permet de distinguer avec précision les détails et les couleurs de l'oiseau. La bonne luminosité rehausse la beauté des couleurs. Bonne journée.

Pierre

Clarity, DOF, sharpness and contrast ar very good in this picture Mario! Bravo also for light control and educational note.
Best greetings,
Radomir

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