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Re: Goldfinch concentrations




This "joyous cacophony" of Goldfinches is one of my favorite sounds in the
spring.  As for the length of the history for goldfinches gathering and
holding these "songfests", A.C. Bent quotes some notes from John Burroughs
written in 1904 in discussing this phenomenon.  Bent offers no explanation
for this occurrence either, although the quotes from Burroughs seems to
indicate perhaps it is the Goldfinch's version of a "lek".  It seems perhaps
the males are trying to out-sing their rivals and that it appears mates are
selected at these "songfests", although nest building will not commence
until later in the summer.

Pine Siskins do this too.  I always figured it was a "Carduelis thing".
Donna Bailey
Winnsboro, SC
e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
     "Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina"
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey/audubon	
    "Columbia Audubon Society"