Another bird ID

[wannafish2]

Ok, you guys seem to know your stuff so help me with this one:

Looks exactly like a female goldfinch, BUT, there is a patch of bright yellow right on her head....same area as where a male goldfinch has a black patch, but hers is bright yellow like a males body feathers, only on a dull yellow female goldfinch body...any ideas?

the body size and everything else is exactly like the other goldfinches she is with.

I eagerly await your responses.

[Steve Foss]

It may be a male anyway. There's a lot of variation in how fast they change from winter to summer plumage, and I've seen males that are almost completely into summer plumage right alongside males that still had quite a ways to go. And that yellow and black coloring can come in really blotchy.

Right now at our feeders, we've got several males in various stages of coloration.

[PFUNK]

I might also look into it being an evening grosbeak. They are usually larger than a gold finch though with a bigger, bulky beak. They have a bright yellow patch where the black would be on a male gold finch.

[wannafish2]

I'll try to get a picture. I don't thin theres any way it can be a male just because the bright yellow is right where males are black on their heads. If it was a male in molt, do their head feathers change color?

[PFUNK]

Does it look anything like this?

[Steve Foss]

If the bird in question is the same size as all the other goldfinches, it won't be an evening grosbeak. A pic would mos definitely help.

[PFUNK]

Right... gold finch is smaller than the grosbeak and the grosbeak has a much more powerful looking bill. Also it has a prominent white patch on the wing.

[wannafish2]

I don't think its a Grosbeak, but great suggestion.

It is exactly identical to the other female goldfinches except for the patch on its head. Still trying to get a pic - darn elusive little bugger! Stay posted.

I am currently out of town, will return to the feeders early next week and will be on camera vigil.