Goldfinch Help - Northern California, USA (1 Viewer)

[strandcast]

Here is a video recorded from inside the house so you can just leave it muted (otherwise you'll hear children playing ).

I've always thought only Lesser came to my feeder but I think I've been seeing some American because of the white undertail.
It is the females that I've been struggling to tell the difference.

 

[connorco]

Both Lesser and American are present in the initial shot. Lesser on the left, American on the right.

 

[rkj]

As connorco says, both species are present. With the comings and goings of the birds I think there are more Lessers than Americans, but both are present much of the time. You are quite right about the undertail coverts. Another thing to look at is the ends of the tails from below. In American the white goes right to the end; in Lesser it stops short of the end and the tail tip is all black.