Day 215: Don't turn around! Don't look! It's behind you! As he felt as the feeder rise like a teeter-totter when a significant weight landed on the far end, this Goldfinch must have thought the monster was catching up to him fast. I've often described Evening Grosbeaks as resembling a much larger version of a Goldfinch, but having the two birds side by side in proximity really points up the size difference. When you can only observe one bird, it is difficult to say, "That one's about the size of a sparrow" or "Big as a Steller's Jay, that one!" In trying to determine whether you're seeing a Raven as opposed to a Crow without the two side by side, an estimate of size is a poor tool because objects at a distance are almost impossible to judge. You need to learn the other identifying features. In the case of Goldfinch vs. Grosbeak, that's fairly easy. The Goldfinch is brighter yellow with very little darker shading on the neck and back. During mating season, Grosbeaks' heavier bills turn chartreuse, and a Goldfinch's dainty beak is pinkish.
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