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The State Bird of New Jersey: The Eastern Goldfinch
New Jersey is home to many unique flora and fauna, including the official state bird – the Eastern goldfinch. This small, lively songbird can be seen throughout the Garden State in open fields, meadows, and other areas with plenty of vegetation.
The Eastern goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) is a member of the finch family that is native to North America. It ranges across much of the United States east of the Rockies and south into Central America. In New Jersey, it breeds during spring and summer months with populations increasing during migration in fall and winter. They forage for seeds on plants such as thistle or sunflower heads but will also take insects when available.
Eastern goldfinches are sociable birds that form large flocks outside their breeding season even though they often feed alone or in pairs at other times. Their cheerful call helps them stand out against competition from other birds too! These birds have bright yellow underparts along with black wings marked by white patches near its shoulder area known as wing bars – making it easy to spot them among foliage or trees. Males tend to show more black than females which also help identify one’s gender if seen close up!
Did You Know?
In 1935, New Jersey designated this species as our state bird after a bill was introduced by Senator William Biddle Whitehead from Camden County who wanted to recognize an animal that represented life in our region both symbolically & literally! The eastern goldfinch was chosen due to its abundance both then & now despite threats posed by habitat loss & climate change like other wildlife species around us today so it seemed fitting for us all share responsibility over preserving these creatures’ future together too!
The eastern goldfinch may not be flashy compared to some larger avian species like hawks or owls but nonetheless plays an important role within local ecosystems helping disperse seeds while providing pest control services thanks its appetite for insects when needed – thus demonstrating why there’s still hope left when we work collectively towards protecting nature around us each day whether big changes come through policy shifts first hand or simply through smaller gestures made every single day!
