Voice of the Wild

This is Illinois Extension’s Voice of the Wild. a new wild voice in just a moment, so find someplace quiet, take a deep breath, and enjoy.

Though Its jumbled song is a staple of warm mornings and hot summer afternoons, this bird's squeaky voice can be heard in Illinois year round. In the cold months they visit hanging finch feeders, the drooping heads of last year’s sunflowers, and sometimes join in with pine siskins foraging in sycamore and sweetgum trees. In the spring, their dull winter plumage turns bright yellow and Males develop a black forehead patch to match the birds black wings and tail. Their diet consists almost exclusively of seeds, and in the mid to late summer when they build out their nest, they’ll line it with the milkweed fuzz and thistle down that comes with their meals.

This is the American Goldfinch, Spinus (spinnus) tristis from the finch family Fringillidae. The goldfinches undulating flight is often accompanied by a distinct call. Audubon says this sounds like “perchicory” while cornell says “potato chip.” I’ll play it first and let you decide. Here’s the goldfinch again.

Thank you to the Macaulay library at the Cornell lab for our bird sounds. And thank you for tuning in to learn a new bird call with Illinois Extension.