Can someone confirm that this is a female American finch. I looked at other images , they seem to have a yellowish beak while this one has a black beak,

American Goldfinch Non-breeding.

_________________
Mike Baker

http://mikebakerphotography.zenfolio.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canonshooterman/

sorry, what does it mean by non breeding. I really like your pictures. Can you tell me where to go to photograph the western sandpiper? I went to Roberts Bank on Sunday but didn't see anything. It was high tide though. Thankyou

Adults of a great many species of birds acquire breeding plumage also called alternate plumage just before the breeding season, and most hold this plumage for about half a year. Breeding plumage is usually more striking than nonbreeding plumage or basic plumage, especially in males. Most birds molt into their breeding plumage, but some species such as European Starling attain their beeding plumage appearance by a gradual wearing of feather edges from their autumn plumage.
Species in which males and females show different plumages for at least part of the year are said to be sexually dimorphic. In many such species, males in breeding plumage are more colorful or more strikingly patterned than females. Male ducks bear a bold or colorful plumage for most of the year and molt into a very plain plumage, called an eclipse plumage, for only a few weeks in summer. Males in eclipse plumage sometimes resemble females.

_________________
Mike Baker

http://mikebakerphotography.zenfolio.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canonshooterman/

Thank you for the detailed explanation. i have much to learn about birds.

As Mike said that is an American Goldfinch. Where did you see this individual. Here in Campbell River goldfinches are hard to find.
Wesley Greentree
Campbell River,B.C

Hi Wesstley

I found this bird in Richmond BC. This American finch's colour is very different than the other one someone identified for me. The other one is pale yellow while this one is a lot darker. This is the reason why it threw me. I have much to learn and am looking forward to the learning curve.