Lawrence's Goldfinch, Carduelis lawrencei
The Lawrence's goldfinch can be distinguished from other goldfinches by its black face. The American and Lesser Goldfinches have black on top of their head rather than on their face. They also have a lot more gray.
Niche filled by the Lawrence's Goldfinch
The Lawrence's goldfinch eats small seeds and is small enough so that it is able to hang on small flower heads without them snapping off.
Reproduction of the Lawrence's Goldfinch
The Lawrence's Goldfinches prefers to nest in dense foliage, usually in an Oak or Cypress.
Habitat/Plant community of the Lawrence's Goldfinch
The Lawrence's Goldfinch is closely associated with Oaks. They use chaparral frequently but always in close proximity to Oak trees.
How to attract Lawrence's Goldfinch to your garden
A birdbath is an excellent way to get the Lawrence's Goldfinch to come to your garden. They also will want some food. See diet.
Diet of the Lawrence's Goldfinch
The Lawrence's Goldfinch, like most finches, has a diet consisting mainly of seeds. They can often be seen dangling from old flower heads and picking out the seeds. They seem to need a source of water and spend a lot of their day in the birdbath.Some of the Lawrence's Goldfinches favorites are Chamise seeds, asters, fiddle necks, Red-maids, Pepper grass, Lepidium, cryptantha, knot weed, and polygonum.
Range of the Lawrence's Goldfinch
The Lawrence's Goldfinch is found nearly exclusively in California. (They are also found in Baja California.) It is found along the edges of the central valley up into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Range in the Summer. They are also found most of the year from San Francisco south on the western side of the valley.
