When do goldfinches leave Missouri?

The American Goldfinch does not leave Missouri: it is reported all year, from 27% of checklists in the second week of March to 49% in late August.

When is the best time to see goldfinches in Missouri?

The American Goldfinch is reported most often in late August, on about 49% of Missouri checklists.

American Goldfinch · Spinus tristis

When Do Goldfinches Arrive in Missouri?

Photo: Andy Wilson, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

The American Goldfinch is in Missouri all year. It turns up on about 49% of checklists at its peak (late August) and on 27% in its quietest week (the second week of March). They are the only regular goldfinches in Missouri.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekAug 22-31late August

Quietest weekMar 8-14the second week of March

Best: late August. Here all year. Peak: on about 49% of Missouri checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Goldfinches in Missouri, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
American Goldfinch	all year	–	Aug 22-31	–	49%

American Goldfinch

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Missouri 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.

Where in Missouri

Best counties for American Goldfinch

Share of checklists at the peak

Daviess CountyBest the second week of November · 19 checklists that week, 1,354 in all88%
Caldwell CountyBest late August · 11 checklists that week, 340 in all86%
Iron CountyBest mid December · 67 checklists that week, 4,515 in all80%
Cass CountyBest mid November · 124 checklists that week, 7,791 in all77%
Barton CountyBest late August · 18 checklists that week, 1,629 in all77%
Oregon CountyBest the second week of September · 24 checklists that week, 1,145 in all75%

Common questions

When do goldfinches arrive in Missouri?: The American Goldfinch is in Missouri all year. It turns up on about 49% of checklists at its peak (late August) and on 27% in its quietest week (the second week of March). They are the only regular goldfinches in Missouri.
When do goldfinches leave Missouri?: The American Goldfinch does not leave Missouri: it is reported all year, from 27% of checklists in the second week of March to 49% in late August.
When is the best time to see goldfinches in Missouri?: The American Goldfinch is reported most often in late August, on about 49% of Missouri checklists.