Labor Day 2021 is soon to be in the rearview mirror and the kids are going back in school, either in classrooms or virtually. Life is settling into the early autumn routine, while it is still technically summer.
Even though the solar equinox is about three weeks away, the residents to the north are reacting to the ever-consistent celestial indicators that fall will be here soon. Reservations have been made for winter rentals at latitudes where the temperatures are relatively moderate and snow is a news worthy event.
Plants and wildlife are reacting too. Annuals and perennials, from the smallest to the largest, are in the final stages of maturing seeds. Most animals are packing on the calories in anticipation of the season of scarcities.
Many birds have the advantage of the instinct to migrate to the south where the environment is far more hospitable and food is plentiful. Like many, but not all, of the human inhabitants up north, the American Goldfinch is one of those winter residents which appreciates the local climate.
American goldfinches are still flying north of the Florida line, but they will be here soon with all the other winter visitors. At least they will stay off the roads.
In the weeks to come the first scouts will appear and surveil the habitat and resources before the flocks show up. Curiously, some members of this species remain in residence year round in the colder northern localities.
A popular songbird with attractive plumage, many bird fanciers put out feed to attract this migrant. As its scientific genus name, Carduelis, implies, it is attracted to the seeds of the thistle plant. Its species name, tristis, indicates one of its calls was considered mournful.
Its appetites have also earned it other regional names over the years. Among these are the catnip-bird, beet-bird, lettuce-bird and salad-bird.
Unfortunately for the strawberry growers in central Florida, this winter resident has a taste for the high value berries which are shipped nationwide. A hungry flock can do major damage to the ripe strawberries awaiting harvest.
Tens of thousands of dollars are spent annually on a variety of tools and procedures to deter these hungry flocks. As a protected migratory species, lethal methods are illegal.
Crop damage during their visit to panhandle Florida is not a concern since the weather is too cold for production. This dearth of meal options can make feeders in the landscape a popular site for both congregations of goldfinches and bird watching.
During the summer the males and females have distinctively different colorations. As typical with most avian species, the males have the brightest feathers.
Females have a much more muted tone to their appearance. While not camouflage, these duller colors allow them to avoid easy notice by predators.
During the winter months the male’s plumage becomes muted and close to the appearance of the female. The bright exterior returns the following summer just in time for mating season.
A moderately small bird, it reaches about five inches in length with a maximum wingspan of nine inches. The diminutive size is a blessing and a curse at the same time.
Spending most of the year in large flocks, random chance often dictates if these aerobatic birds fall prey to raptors or other predators. Little and inexperienced, young birds have entangled themselves in large orb-weaver webs.
So, take the next few weeks to prepare for increased traffic from out-of-towners. They will be arriving by both highways and air routes.
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