Goldfinches, where are they

American Goldfinch, female

Someone just asked us where their goldfinches were, they weren't seeing any now. Goldfinches begin breeding later than other birds and may go to breeding areas away from your feeders, if you have no good breeding habitat nearby. They nest in small trees and shrubs, often near wetland areas and place the nest 4-20 ft. high. They build a nest of strands from weeds and vines, downy filaments from wind-dispersed seeds, such as thistle, and bind the nest with caterpillar webbing. 3-7 light blue eggs are laid and incubation takes 12-14 days. The young fledge in 11-15 days. The young are out of the nest by mid-August and then, at least for us, our feeders are descended upon by newly fledged goldfinches.