WhenToBird

2 goldfinche species in Utah

When Do Goldfinches Arrive in Utah?

Adult male Lesser Goldfinch
Photo: Aitor, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Lesser Goldfinches and American Goldfinches are the goldfinches you are most likely to see in Utah. The Lesser Goldfinch is in Utah all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (early September) and on 13% in its quietest week (mid January).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekSep 1-7early September
Quietest weekJan 15-21mid January

Best: early September. Here all year. Peak: on about 22% of Utah checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marcommon
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

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

Goldfinches in Utah, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Lesser Goldfinchall year–Sep 1-7–22%
American Goldfinchall year–Nov 15-21–15%
0%10%20%30%Lesser GoldfinchAmerican GoldfinchJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Lesser Goldfinch
  • 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 Utah 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 Utah

Best counties for Lesser Goldfinch

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Salt Lake CountyBest the second week of May · 3012 checklists that week, 104,432 in all42%
  2. Washington CountyBest early September · 489 checklists that week, 43,893 in all35%
  3. Weber CountyBest the second week of August · 186 checklists that week, 13,172 in all34%
  4. Davis CountyBest the second week of August · 585 checklists that week, 39,952 in all32%
  5. Morgan CountyBest early March · 120 checklists that week, 3,178 in all32%
  6. Iron CountyBest the second week of May · 294 checklists that week, 8,774 in all24%

Common questions

When do goldfinches arrive in Utah?
The Lesser Goldfinch is in Utah all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (early September) and on 13% in its quietest week (mid January).
When do goldfinches leave Utah?
The Lesser Goldfinch does not leave Utah: it is reported all year, from 13% of checklists in mid January to 22% in early September.
When is the best time to see goldfinches in Utah?
The Lesser Goldfinch is reported most often in early September, on about 22% of Utah checklists.
Which goldfinches are in Utah?
Lesser Goldfinch and American Goldfinch are reported regularly; the Lesser Goldfinch is the most common.