The Status and Occurrence of the Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) in British Columbia. By Rick Toochin. Revised: December 29, 2024.

The Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) is a species that has two distinct subspecies. The northern and western subspecies is (S. p. hesperophilus) commonly referred to as the “green-backed” form of Lesser Goldfinch (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). This subspecies is resident in it’s range from southern Washington State south through western and southeastern Oregon, across northeastern California into northern Nevada, and northern Utah south through California and central Arizona to southern Baja California and the southern Sonora region of Mexico (Beadle and Rising 2006). The nominate subspecies (Spinus p. psaltria) also commonly referred to as the “black-backed” form of the Lesser Goldfinch is a resident in it's range from central-eastern Arizona to northern Colorado, northwestern Oklahoma, through north and central Texas south through central eastern and southern Mexico to Guerrero, Oaxaca, and central Veracruz in Mexico (Beadle and Rising 2006). There is interbreeding of both subspecies in the areas between Colorado and northern Texas (Sibley 2000). Birds found in southern Texas through Mexico are of the black-backed subspecies (Spinus p. psaltria) (Sibley 2000). Birds found west of Colorado and New Mexico are of the green-backed subspecies (S. p. hesperophilus) (Sibley 2000). The Lesser Goldfinch is an accidental vagrant to the eastern United States with the furthest eastern American record coming from the State of Maine (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The Lesser Goldfinch in the past was considered a casual species to British Columbia but its status is quickly changing to a rare regular species as records increase in frequency and now is a confirmed breeding species (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022, Please see Table 1). All 100 records of Lesser Goldfinch in British Columbia are of the green-backed subspecies (S. p. hesperophilus) (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022, Please see Table 1). The only other Canadian record for this species is an adult female found on August 10, 1982, from southern Ontario (Godfrey 1986). There are no records of Lesser Goldfinch for Alaska (West 2008). The frequency of records is increasing in British Columbia and this species should be watched for in the future by keen observers.

 

The only subspecies to have been documented in British Columbia is the green-backed form of Lesser Goldfinch and it is this form that is discussed in this section. In all plumages, the Lesser Goldfinch is identified by its small size, short tail, yellow undertail coverts and a white patch at the base of the primaries (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). Adult males have a black cap and black nape with a bright green to greenish-yellow mantle that extends down on the rump (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The triangular bill is black in color and small in size (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The throat, lower sides of the neck, all the way down to the undertail coverts are a bright deer banana yellow color (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). The wings are black with white wing bars and white edges to the tertail feathers with a white patch at the base of the primaries (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The tail is short with large white patches on the upper side of the tail base with a black tip (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The underside of the tail is white with a black border that runs down the sides of the tail and is thickest across the tail tip (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The legs are pale pinkish in coloration (Beadle and Rising 2006). Adult female Lesser Goldfinches are variable in coloration showing either a rich yellow breast or a light-yellow wash on the breast (Beadle and Rising 2006). The yellow may show individual intensity in coloration, but Lesser Goldfinch females always have yellow on the undertail coverts (Sibley 2003, Beadle and Rising 2006). The bill is dark grayish color and is small in size (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). The face on adult females is yellow on the throat and below the cheek area with the rest of the head being green olive that extends down the back onto the rump (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). Both the upper side and underside of the short tail are dark with little to no white in the feathers (Sibley 2000, Sibley 2003, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The legs are pale in coloration (Sibley 2000). The wings are black overall with narrow white wing bars and white edged tertials with a smaller but present white primary patch on the wings (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). In flight, both the male and female Lesser Goldfinch, have an obvious wing patch and this is present on both the upper and underside of the wing (Sibley 2000, Sibley 2003, Beadle and Rising 2006). All first winter males throughout the Lesser Goldfinches range have a green back and at this age will have some black on the crown above the top of the bill (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011). The song of the Lesser Goldfinch is slow and disjointed with less repetition in the notes than American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) (Sibley 2003, Beadle and Rising 2006). The calls of the Lesser Goldfinch are a distinctively high, clear, plaintive “thlee” or “teeeyee” (Sibley 2003, Beadle and Rising 2006). The flight call of the Lesser Goldfinch is a harsh grating “chig-chig-chig” or “chaup-chup-chup” which is very different to the calls given by the American Goldfinch (Beadle and Rising 2006, Dunn and Alderfer 2011).

 

The American Goldfinch is a larger bird that no matter what age always shows white undertail coverts, a longer tail, a larger bill that is pink colored in breeding plumage and bolder white wing bars in all ages (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). The song of the American Goldfinch is a high rapidly repeated phrased musical “toWEE-toWEE-toWEEto tweer-tweer-ti-ti-ti-ti” (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). The call of the American Goldfinch is a thin, wiry sounding “toweeeowee” or “tweeee” with some variations given (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). The flight call of the American Goldfinch is a soft whistled descending series of “ti-di-di-di” notes (Sibley 2000, Beadle and Rising 2006). 

Lesser Goldfinches have been slowly pushing north over the past 60 years. The first record for Washington State came from the southern town of Camas in mid-August 1951 (Wahl et al. 2005). Since that time Lesser Goldfinches have become an established species in Washington State and have remained a resident along the Columbia River in Klickitat County with birds turning up in the rest of State (Wahl et al. 2005). In British Columbia the first record of a Lesser Goldfinch was of an adult collected by T. T. McCabe at Indianpoint Lake near Bowron Lake Park on June 9, 1931 (Dickinson 1953, Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022). Over the next 76 years there were just three valid sightings in the province until 2007 (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022, Please see Table 1). There are now over 100 records of the Lesser Goldfinch for British Columbia. This species is not classified as Casual anymore as it occurs every year and in increasing numbers. There are now 2 confirmed breeding records for the province. The first came from Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos where an adult female was photographed feeding flightless fledgling by David Bell between July 4-9, 2019 (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.). This constitutes the first breeding record for British Columbia and Canada. The second breeding record for the province was a long staying photographed pair found in the Matsqui area which were observed feeding a begging immature bird on June 14, 2021 (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.). This species continues to occur as single birds or in small groups which means it is highly likely that the Lesser Goldfinch is here to stay in British Columbia and will become part of the province’s avifauna. There is also a photographed record of a hybrid female Lesser Goldfinch and American Goldfinch found by Geoffrey Newell from Lincoln Street, near Uplands Park, in Victoria on December 1, 2020 (Toochin et al. 2022, Please see Table 2) The largest number of records of the Lesser Goldfinch have come from the Okanagan Valley, the Fraser Valley, and the Vancouver region. There are also increasing numbers of records that have come from Vancouver Island, Lillooet, Princeton, and Grand Forks, with further records having been photographed from Revelstoke, Lardeau, Quesnel, as far north as Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2022, Please see Table 1). Provincial records have occurred throughout the year. There are many more records of adult males which are logical given how much more obvious males are to females or immature males. It is likely that females and immature males do occur as frequently as males in the province but go largely undetected or birds are wrongly aged. Almost all records of the Lesser Goldfinch in the Province are of birds coming to feeders and being loosely in the company of American Goldfinches. With more feeder watchers and careful scrutiny, it is likely that this species will continue to increase in records in the future. 

1.(1) adult male June 9, 1931: T.T. McCabe (specimen: MCZ 281803) Indianpoint Lake near Bowron Lake Park (Dickinson 1953, Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022)

2.(1) adult female May 17, 1958: K. Racey (specimen: PMNH 72201) Huntingdon (Racey 1958, Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022)

3.(1) adult male October 22-23, 1983: Tony Greenfield, mobs (photo) Sechelt (Hunn and Mattocks 1984, Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022)

4.(1) adult male May 11-16, 1999: R.J. Herzig, mobs (BC Photo 1789) near Princeton (Campbell et al. 2001, Toochin et al. 2022)

5.(1) adult male May 5-6, 2007: Marlene Johnston: Lardeau (Cecile 2007, Johnston 2009, Toochin et al. 2022)

6.(1) adult male June 11-28 & July 19-August 21, 2008: Stan Olson, mobs (photo) 2093 Topaz Street, Clearbrook, Abbotsford (Johnston 2009, Toochin et al. 2022)

7.(1) adult male March 11, 2011: Stephen Forgacs (photo) 8th Ave. & Blanca St., Pt. Grey, Vancouver (Charlesworth 2011, Toochin et al. 2022)

   (1) adult male April 10, 2011: Steve Forgacs: 9th Ave. & Trimble St., Pt. Grey, Vancouver (Charlesworth 2011, Toochin et al. 2022)

8.(1) male April 30 –May 3, 2011: Cathy Carlson, mobs (photo) 2900 Fishboat Bay Road, Shirley (Charlesworth 2011, Toochin et al. 2022)

9.(1) adult male January 22-25, 2012: Thalia Grant, mobs (photo) Ortona Ave, Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2022)

   (1) adult male February 15, 2012: Thalia Grant, mobs (photo) Ortona Ave, Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2022)

10.(1) adult female February 11, 2012: Rick Toochin: north end of Topaz Dr., Sardis [with 8 American Goldfinches] (Toochin et al. 2022)

11.(1) adult male April 23-24, 2012:  Ian Routley, mobs (photo) Lillooet (Toochin et al. 2022)

12.(1) adult male May 18-20, 2012: Patricia Elwell, mobs (photo) Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

13.(1) adult female May 13, 2013: Rick Toochin, Al Russell: Hope (Toochin et al. 2022)

14.(1) adult male April 26, 2014: Cathy Carlson (photo) 2900 Fishboat Bay Road, Shirley (Toochin et al. 2022)

15.(1) adult male June 2-3, 2014: Amanda Lehaie (photo) Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

16.(1) immature male June 12, 2014: Peter Hamel (photo) Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary, Masset, Haida Gwaii (Toochin et al. 2022)   

17.(1) adult female July 1, 2014: Russell Cannings: Drimmie Road, 12 miles out of Revelstoke (Toochin et al. 2022)

18.(1) adult female December 30, 2015 – January 13, 2016: Rick Toochin, Chris Buis, mobs (photo) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult female January 15, 2016: Rick Toochin (photo) 2385 Bradner Road (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult female February 9, 2016: Sandie Buis (photo) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult female February 11-March 16, 2016: Rick Toochin, Chris Buis, mobs (photo) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult female March 30-31, 2016: Chris Buis, mobs (photo) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

19.(1) adult male May 5, 2016: Roger and Andrew Foxall (photo) South Surrey (Toochin et al. 2022)

20.(1) adult male July 31, 2016: Doug Brown: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory (Toochin et al. 2022)

21.(1) adult male December 18, 2016- January 3, 2017: Liis Jeffries, mobs (photo) 1750 Hill St., Merritt (Toochin et al. 2022)

22.(1) 1st year male January 7-29, 2017: Chris Buis, mobs (photo) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)   

23.(1) 1st year male January 25, 2017: Rick Toochin: near Mill Lake Park, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

24.(1) female March 12, 2017: Rick and Keelan Toochin (photo) with 25-30 AMGO, Marion Road, Sumas Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

25.(1) adult male May 2-5, 2017: Edward Lahaie, mobs (photo) 460 Auburn Crescent, Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

26.(1) adult female December 11-January 7, 2017: Susan Harper, Nathan Hentze, mobs (photo) 820 Rogers Court, Victoria (Toochin et al. 2022)

27.(1) adult male May 12, 2018: Edward Lahaie, mobs (photo) 460 Auburn Crescent, Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

28.(4-5) [2-3 adult males, 1 second year female & 1 juvenile male] July 15-November 24, 2018: David M. Bell, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (15+) various ages December 14-19, 2018: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (4) various ages December 29, 2018: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (10+) various ages February 6, 2019: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (4) various ages March 14, 2019: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (1-8) various ages March 23- July 4, 2019: Nathan Earley, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

(1)   adult female feeding (1) flightless fledgling July 4-9, 2019: David Bell (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos [First Breeding Record for BC and Canada] (Toochin et al. 2022)

(5+-) various ages July 19-August 26, 2019: Gavin and Don McKinnon, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

(3+-) various ages September 9-18, 2019: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

(5) [3 males / 2 females] November 28, 2019: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

(2) 1 adult/ 1 immature March 27, 2020: Ian Kelshaw (photo) Old Ricther Pass Road, outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022) 

(1-3) adults May 17-June 27, 2020: Nathan Earley, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (13) various ages June 28, 2020: David Bell, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult male July 1, 2020: Rick Zapf, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (2) adult male and female April 4, 2021: Chris Charlesworth (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult male singing April 11, 2021: Chris Charlesworth (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (2) adults May 23-24, 2021: David Bell, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (2-4) adults June 16-August 3, 2021: Liron Gertsman, Joshua Brown, mobs (photo) Kruger Mt. Rd., outside Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

29.(1) adult male October 6, 2018: Dianne Cooper, Joe Ruthermund (photo) 2200 block of Mission Wycliffe Road, Cranbrook (Toochin et al. 2022)

30.(1) adult November 12, 2018: Wayne Diakow: Pemberton (Toochin et al. 2022)

31.(1) adult male May 1-7, 2019: Edward Lahie, mobs (photo) Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (2) adult males May 7, 2019: Edward Lahie, mobs (photo) Princeton (Toochin et al. 2022)

32.(1) female May 25, 2019: Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith: Hope Airport [with 10 American Goldfinches] (Toochin et al. 2022)

33.(1) adult male May 26, 2019: Rick Toochin, Keelan Toochin: Downes Rd., and Verdon Way, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

34.(1) adult male [and a possible female] June 14-August 1, 2019: Kevin Jones, mobs (photo) Agassiz (Toochin et al. 2022)

35.(1) adult male June 24, 2019: Chris Charlesworth: Rose Valley Regional Park, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

36.(1) female August 7, 2019: David Bell, mobs: Rocky Point Bird Observatory, Metchosin (Toochin et al. 2022)

37.(2) age undertermined (birds heard calling) August 7, 2019: Dick Cannings: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory (Toochin et al. 2022)

38.(1) female August 10, 2019: Rick Toochin, Al Russell: Fore Road, Matsqui [with 100+ American Goldfinches] (Toochin et al. 2022)

39.(5) [2 males/ 3 females] November 25-December 9, 2019: Geoffrey Newell, mobs (photo) Florence Street, Victoria (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (3) adults December 21, 2019-February 26, 2020: Jeremy Gatten, mobs (photo) backside of 2768 Dunlevy St., Victoria (Toochin et al. 2022)

40.(1) adult male December 18, 2019: Randy Watrous (photo) Grand Forks (Toochin et al. 2022)

41.(1) adult male January 31, 2020: Linda Koch, mobs (photo) 330-9411 Glendower Dr., Richmond (Toochin et al. 2022)

42.(1) adult female April 16, 2020: Jamie Gadsden (photo) Chilliwack (Toochin et al. 2022)

43.(1) age unknown calling bird April 28, 2020: David Bell: north end Robert Lake, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

44.(1) adult male April 30, 2020: Rick Toochin, Al Russell: Old Yale Road, Sumas Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

45.(1) adult male May 1, 2020: Rick Toochin, Al Russell: Gallagher Road, Matsqui Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (1) adult male May 9, 2020: Rick Toochin: Fore Road, Matsqui Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

46.(1) adult female May 10, 2020: Moose Stoffregen (photo) Coquitlum (D. Baker Pers. Comm.)

47.(1) female May 13, 2020: Peter Hamel, Margo Hearne (photo) Sandspit Golf course (Toochin et al. 2022)

48.(1) male May 14, 2020: Eric Newton (photo) West Bench area of Penticton (Toochin et al. 2022)

49.(1) adult female May 15, 2020: Geoffray Newell (photo) Mt. Tolmie, Victoria (Toochin et al. 2022)

50.(1) calling bird May 24, 2020: Dick Cannings: between Mahoney and White Lake, Okanagan (Toochin et al. 2022)

51.(1) adult female August 6, 2020: Doug Brown: Southeast dyke at Road 22, north of Osoyoos (Toochin et al. 2022)

52.(1) adult female September 2-12, 2020: Gord Gadsden, mobs (photo) Chilliwack (Toochin et al. 2022)

53.(1) adult male October 13-December 22, 2020 & January 30-March 24, 2021: Robyn DeYoung, Matthew and Tom Lowery (photo) Trout Creek Point, Summerland (Toochin et al. 2022).

54.(1) immature male November 4, 2020: Rick Toochin (photo) Cole Road, Sumas Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

55.(1) immature female November 11-18, 2020: Eva Froese (photo) Grand Forks (Toochin et al. 2022)

56.(1) female November 21-28, 2020: Kathryn Milligan and Debbie Hlady, mobs (photo) 264 – 67th St., Tsawwassen    (Toochin et al. 2022)

57.(1) female December 10, 2020: Rick Toochin: Marion Road south of Campbell Road, Sumas Prairie (Toochin et al. 2022)

58.(1) adult male December 19-23, 2020: Jesse Hannebauer, Nathan Early, mobs (photo) Gopher Creek Trail, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

59.(1) adult male January 17-23, 2021: Tonetto McEwan, mobs (photo) Pemberton (Toochin et al. 2022)

60.(1) adult male February 4-19, 2021: Alex Bodden: along the International Hike and Bike Trail, Oliver (Toochin et al. 2022)

61.(2) adult male and female March 25- April 4, 2021: Jeremy Gatten, mobs (photo) Ladner Harbour Park, Delta (Toochin et al. 2022)

62.(2) near-adult male and female May 2-3, 2021: Rick Toochin, mobs (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (2) male and female May 5, 2021: Rick Toochin: Little Road, Matsqui [likely same birds as above] (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (1) male May 5, 2021: Rick Toochin, mobs (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (1) male May 12, 2021: Rick Toochin, Dave Baker (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (1) male May 18, 2021: Rick Toochin (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

     (3) adult male and female, with begging young bird (breeding record) June 14, 2021: Rick Toochin (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

63.(2) immature male and female May 16, 2021: Suzy Wright (photo) Freeman Road, Quesnel (Toochin et al. 2022)

64.(1) adult male May 18-19, 2021: David Bell, mobs (photo) Mission Creek, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

65.(1) adult male June 6, 2021: Yousif Attia: Harris Road, Pitt Meadows (Toochin et al. 2022)

66.(1) adult June 9, 2021: Kalin Ocana: Bertran Creek Park, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

67.(1) adult male July 16, 2021: Les Dewar (photo) Willowbrook Road, outside Oliver (Toochin et al. 2022)

68.(1) male July 24, 2021: Rick Toochin: Dyke Road, Deroche (Toochin et al. 2022)

69.(1) adult male August 7, 2021: Les Dewar: Willowbrook Road, north of Fairview (Toochin et al. 2022)

70.(1) adult August 10, 2021: Shaun Riome: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory (Toochin et al. 2022)

71.(1) adult male November 23-December 16, 2021: Eva Froese, mobs (photo) private yard, Grand Forks (Toochin et al. 2022)

72.(1) female/immature male December 1, 2021 – January 28, 2022: Darlene Cancelliere, mobs (photo) 407 Edward Street, Revelstoke (Toochin et al. 2022)

73.(1) adult male December 7, 2021: Glenn Dreger (photo) backyard feeder, Kamloops (Toochin et al. 2022)

74.(1-2) adult male January 2-February 13, 2022: Nathan Earley, mobs: south of Road 9 bridge, Oliver (Toochin et al. 2022)

75.(1-3) adult male, 1 immature male, 1 female January 27-April 12, 2022: Joel Schmidt, mobs (photo) Charlotte Ave entrance of Fishtrap Creek Park, Abbotsford (Toochin et al. 2022)

      (2) adult male and female February 28, 2022: Dave Olson (photo) backyard feeder, near MacLure Park, Abbotsford [likely involving birds from above]

76.(1) adult male February 19, 2022: Rick Toochin: Vye Road near Whatcom Road (Toochin et al. 2022)

77.(1) adult male singing March 19, 2022: Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith: Arnold (Toochin et al. 2022)

78.(1) adult male April 13-May 2, 2022: Chris Charlesworth, mobs (photo) Lakeside Resort, Oliver (Toochin et al. 2022)

79.(1) adult male April 21-28, 2022: Mike Howard, mobs (photo) Gopher Creek Trail, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

80.(1) calling April 25, 2022: David Bell: south side Munson Pond, Kelowna (Toochin et al. 2022)

81.(1) immature/female May 7, 2022: Sabine Decamp (photo) backyard in Delta (Toochin et al. 2022)

82.(4) [2 males & 2 females] May 9-11, 2022: Rick Toochin (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (Toochin et al. 2022)

83.(2) females May 14, 2022: Rick Toochin:Page Road, Matsqui Trail [likely same birds as above](Toochin et al. 2022)   

84.(1) female May 14, 2022: Ryan Lewis: Brunswick Point, Delta (Toochin et al. 2022)

85.(1) adult male June 3, 2022: Rick Toochin: Fore Road (Toochin et al. 2022)

86.(1) calling bird August 14, 2022: Kalin Ocana (calls recorded) Roberts Lake, Kelowna (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

87.(1) adult male in molt August 21, 2022: Robyn Byne (photo) 4169 Beckwith Place, Victoria (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

88.(1) adult male August 29, 2022: Barry Finch (photo) Oliver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

89.(3) 2 adult males/ 1 female October 22, 2022: Rick Toochin (photo) Harris Road, Matsqui (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

90.(1) calling November 18, 2022: David M. Bell: 8306 98th Ave., Osoyoos (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

91.(2) adult male and female November 30 – December 1, 2022: Dave Olson, mobs (photo) Maclure Park, Abbotsford (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

92.(1) calling male December 16, 2022: Rick Toochin (FN) Beaver and Peardonville Roads, Abbotsford (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

93.(1) adult male February 22-March 17, 2023: Daryl Henderson, mobs (photo) 7th Ave., and Angus St., Port Alberni (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

94.(1) adult male April 7, 2023: Donna Heard (photo) at backyard feeder, Oliver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

95.(1) adult male April 23, 2023: Wendy Cassel: 6701 Tucelnuit Drive, Oliver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

96.(1) adult male April 25, 2023: Adrienne Houlihan: 7 Old Yale Road, Kelowna (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

97.(1) adult male May 7, 2023: Rick Toochin, Mark Russell (photo) Vedder Mt. (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)

98.(1) adult May 8, 2023: Barry Kinch (photo) Oliver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

99.(1) adult May 11, 2023: Ed Lahaie: Auburn Crescent, Princeton (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

100.(1) adult male June 4-6, 2023: Pete Lypkie, mobs (photo) 5293 Ketch Place, Delta (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

101.(1) female September 5, 2023: Edwin Ma (photo) ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, Coquitlam (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

102.(1) female September 9, 2023: Rick Toochin: Fore Road, Mastqui (R. Toochin Pers. Comm.)
103.(1) female November 2, 2023: Wyatt Bartholet: Revelstoke (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
104.(1) adult male March 27, 2024: Doe Gregoire (photo) yard in Cawston (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
105.(1) (heard only) June 16, 2024: Al Mottishaw: north end, Vaseux Lake (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
106.(1) adult June 21-24, 2024: Chris Buis, mobs (calls recorded) 2397 Chardonnay Lane, Abbotsford (C. Buis Pers. Comm.)
107.(1) adult female July 28, 2024: Peter Wynne (photo) at 5366 Malaspina Place, North Vancouver (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)

108.(1) immature male August 24, 2024: Rick Toochin, Mark Russell (photo) Fore Road, Matsqui (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.) 

109.(1) female December 17-29, 2024: Wyatt Bartholet: Revelstoke (D. Cecile Pers. Comm.)
100.(1) adult male December 26-29, 2024: fide Les Peterson, mobs (photo) 1150 Victoria Ave and 2104 Windsor Road, Victoria (M. Ashbee Pers. Comm.)

1.(1) female December 1, 2020: Geoffrey Newell (photo) Lincoln St., near Uplands Park, Victoria [likely hybrid with American Goldfinch] (Toochin et al. 2022)

 

Hypothetical Records:

1.(1) immature September 15-16, 1983: Brian M. Kautesk, JAM, HM: Jericho Park, Vancouver (Hunn and Mattocks 1984, Toochin et al. 2022) [accepted by Nature Vancouver’s VRBC, but details are questionable]

2.(1) dark-backed subspecies September 6, 1993: Mike Price: Jericho (Siddle 1994a, Davidson 1994, Campbell et al. 2001)[record accepted by BCFO Rare Bird Committee, but details are questionable]

3.(3) adult females February 17, 2013: Michelle Panton: 540 5th St., Vancouver (Toochin et al. 2022)

 

I would like to thank Don Cecile for reviewing the revised species account. I also would like to thank Sandy Bowie, Wes Aslin, Peter Candido, Dave Baker, and Kevin Jones for sharing her photographs for the article. All photos are used with permission of the photographer and are fully protected by copyright law. Photographs are not to be reproduced, published, or retransmitted on any website without the authorization of the photographer.

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