When do goldfinches leave Oklahoma?

American Goldfinches never fully leave Oklahoma: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of March, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.9% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see goldfinches in Oklahoma?

The American Goldfinch is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 28% of Oklahoma checklists.

American Goldfinch · Spinus tristis

When Do Goldfinches Arrive in Oklahoma?

Photo: Andy Wilson, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

American Goldfinches are in Oklahoma all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of November, peak in the second week of December (28% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of March. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 6.9% of checklists. They are the only regular goldfinches in Oklahoma.

When to look

Numbers buildNov 8-14the second week of November

PeakDec 8-14the second week of December

Fall back byMar 8-14the second week of March

FewestJun 8-14the second week of June

Best: the second week of December. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of November and fall back by the second week of March. Peak: on about 28% of Oklahoma checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marcommon
Aprcommon
Maycommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Goldfinches in Oklahoma, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
American Goldfinch	Nov 8-14	Nov 8-14	Dec 8-14	Mar 8-14	28%

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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

Best counties for American Goldfinch

Share of checklists at the peak

Choctaw CountyBest mid February · 30 checklists that week, 844 in all71%
Pontotoc CountyBest late January · 11 checklists that week, 308 in all59%
Washington CountyBest mid August · 13 checklists that week, 2,263 in all57%
Logan CountyBest the second week of January · 95 checklists that week, 5,258 in all57%
Stephens CountyBest the second week of February · 19 checklists that week, 945 in all56%
McClain CountyBest mid December · 13 checklists that week, 1,112 in all55%

Common questions

When do goldfinches arrive in Oklahoma?: American Goldfinches are in Oklahoma all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of November, peak in the second week of December (28% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of March. In the quietest week (the second week of June) they are still on about 6.9% of checklists. They are the only regular goldfinches in Oklahoma.
When do goldfinches leave Oklahoma?: American Goldfinches never fully leave Oklahoma: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of March, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.9% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see goldfinches in Oklahoma?: The American Goldfinch is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 28% of Oklahoma checklists.