WhenToBird

Spinus tristis · Fringillidae

When Do American Goldfinches Arrive in Wisconsin?

Adult American Goldfinch
Photo: Andy Wilson, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

American Goldfinches are in Wisconsin all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from late June, peak in the second week of August (65% of checklists), and fall back by early October. In the quietest week (the second week of March) they are still on about 25% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildJun 22-30late June
PeakAug 8-14the second week of August
Fall back byOct 1-7early October
FewestMar 8-14the second week of March

Best: the second week of August. Here all year; numbers build from late June and fall back by early October. Peak: on about 65% of Wisconsin checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marcommon
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novcommon
  12. Deccommon

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

0%20%40%60%80%Jan 1-7: 30% of 27925 checklistsJan 8-14: 33% of 18337 checklistsJan 15-21: 34% of 17370 checklistsJan 22-31: 32% of 23777 checklistsFeb 1-7: 32% of 16656 checklistsFeb 8-14: 33% of 18286 checklistsFeb 15-21: 34% of 24739 checklistsFeb 22-28: 28% of 20113 checklistsMar 1-7: 26% of 24024 checklistsMar 8-14: 24% of 26722 checklistsMar 15-21: 25% of 27238 checklistsMar 22-31: 27% of 40171 checklistsApr 1-7: 31% of 34961 checklistsApr 8-14: 36% of 39128 checklistsApr 15-21: 37% of 38887 checklistsApr 22-30: 43% of 57231 checklistsMay 1-7: 54% of 55115 checklistsMay 8-14: 55% of 63098 checklistsMay 15-21: 49% of 49821 checklistsMay 22-31: 45% of 56796 checklistsJun 1-7: 41% of 33621 checklistsJun 8-14: 42% of 31282 checklistsJun 15-21: 42% of 30186 checklistsJun 22-30: 46% of 35128 checklistsJul 1-7: 51% of 27088 checklistsJul 8-14: 55% of 23293 checklistsJul 15-21: 60% of 20933 checklistsJul 22-31: 62% of 27595 checklistsAug 1-7: 65% of 19147 checklistsAug 8-14: 65% of 18286 checklistsAug 15-21: 66% of 19195 checklistsAug 22-31: 62% of 28229 checklistsSep 1-7: 58% of 22408 checklistsSep 8-14: 54% of 20857 checklistsSep 15-21: 50% of 20707 checklistsSep 22-30: 48% of 26469 checklistsOct 1-7: 46% of 21069 checklistsOct 8-14: 41% of 21011 checklistsOct 15-21: 39% of 20006 checklistsOct 22-31: 39% of 26362 checklistsNov 1-7: 41% of 18928 checklistsNov 8-14: 40% of 17052 checklistsNov 15-21: 38% of 16291 checklistsNov 22-30: 38% of 20564 checklistsDec 1-7: 37% of 15354 checklistsDec 8-14: 36% of 16294 checklistsDec 15-21: 35% of 21430 checklistsDec 22-31: 34% of 26314 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Wisconsin that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
today
Second week of November

Each county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.

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Where in Wisconsin

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Lafayette CountyBest late August · 33 checklists that week, 1,911 in all89%
  2. Green CountyBest mid August · 41 checklists that week, 4,387 in all88%
  3. Crawford CountyBest mid August · 46 checklists that week, 4,271 in all87%
  4. Langlade CountyBest late January · 86 checklists that week, 5,023 in all83%
  5. Ozaukee CountyBest the second week of August · 452 checklists that week, 38,294 in all81%
  6. Waukesha CountyBest the second week of August · 520 checklists that week, 43,790 in all81%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Uw ArboretumDane County, best the second week of August · 62 checklists that week, 7,732 in all100%
  2. Owen Conservation ParkDane County, best mid August · 118 checklists that week, 5,184 in all100%
  3. Retzer Nature CenterWaukesha County, best late August · 31 checklists that week, 1,678 in all100%
  4. Red Cedar State TrailDunn County, best the second week of September · 20 checklists that week, 444 in all100%
  5. Lakeshore PreserveDane County, best late July · 26 checklists that week, 3,146 in all100%
  6. Edna Taylor Conservation ParkDane County, best late August · 21 checklists that week, 914 in all100%

Busy spots report more of everything; compare the checklist counts before you drive anywhere.

Best time of day

In Wisconsin, the American Goldfinch is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (59% of those checklists).

0%20%40%60%80%12 am: too few checklists (993) to judge1 am: too few checklists (844) to judge2 am: too few checklists (839) to judge3 am: too few checklists (1488) to judge4 am: too few checklists (5344) to judge5 am: 48% of 27016 checklists6 am: 60% of 83973 checklists7 am: 59% of 160717 checklists8 am: 53% of 160531 checklists9 am: 46% of 136968 checklists10 am: 41% of 119110 checklists11 am: 38% of 99116 checklists12 pm: 36% of 85078 checklists1 pm: 35% of 80688 checklists2 pm: 33% of 79140 checklists3 pm: 31% of 78599 checklists4 pm: 32% of 69767 checklists5 pm: 36% of 53229 checklists6 pm: 37% of 38769 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (24396) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (10155) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (4990) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (2463) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (1281) to judge12a3a6a9a12p3p6p9p
Share of checklists started in each local hour that reported it. It reflects when people go birding as well as when birds are active. Grey hours have too few checklists (under 2% of the state’s, or under 200) to judge.
Week-by-week table
MonthDays 1-78-1415-2122-end
January30%33%34%32%
February32%33%34%28%
March26%24%25%27%
April31%36%37%43%
May54%55%49%45%
June41%42%42%46%
July51%55%60%62%
August65%65%66%62%
September58%54%50%48%
October46%41%39%39%
November41%40%38%38%
December37%36%35%34%

Neighboring states

  • Illinois: arrives mid June, 1 week earlier than Wisconsin
  • Iowa: arrives mid June, 1 week earlier than Wisconsin
  • Michigan: year-round, peaks the second week of August
  • Minnesota: arrives early May, 7 weeks earlier than Wisconsin

Common questions

When do American Goldfinches arrive in Wisconsin?
American Goldfinches are in Wisconsin all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from late June, peak in the second week of August (65% of checklists), and fall back by early October. In the quietest week (the second week of March) they are still on about 25% of checklists.
When do American Goldfinches leave Wisconsin?
American Goldfinches never fully leave Wisconsin: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early October, but some are still reported in every week, about 25% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see a American Goldfinch in Wisconsin?
The American Goldfinch is reported most often in the second week of August, on about 65% of Wisconsin checklists.
Where in Wisconsin are American Goldfinches seen most often?
By county, Lafayette County, Green County, and Crawford County have the highest peak reporting rates for the American Goldfinch (counties with at least 200 checklists).