CLOSED: Can't get a picture of this bird but

it is small 4-5", bright yellow throat and breast. Head and back are a non-descript pale brownish color. Is at feeder w/Goldfinches, House finches and is about the same size. From what I've been able to observe, the bird does appear to have a couple of white wing bars. It doesn't stay long enough for me to get a picture of it. It vaguely reminds me of one of the pictures of Peterson's "Confusing Fall Warblers" in Texas Birds w/the yellow. Cannot hear a call. Very skitterish bird. He is a visitor or passing thru. If it weren't for the bright yellow would not even notice this bird.
Anyone have an idea what this bird could be? He's here now but has only been around about a week or 10 days. Thanks for your help.

Ann

I just got this cool new software for Christmas - you can enter the information you know about the bird you are trying to id and it will narrow down the list of possibilities for you. Let me go give it a try now!!

Hmmm... I'm getting a big list. What about the beak? Is it like the goldfinch, or little and pointy like a warbler? Any streaking on the chest? Is it yellow on the belly too, or just the neck and chest? And is there any other color present? (Black, gray, olive greens?) Notice any eyerings (or spectacles), crests/tufts?

mtx, does your program say anything about weather promoting a return of color to a birds feathers. I know the feathers themselves don't change colors and that the birds just get new feathers in the fall and in the spring - the American Goldfinch, for instance. Right now it is a dull yellowish gray and doesn't have the black cap (male). The reason I ask is that we have had a really weird fall/winter so far. Just recently it was 80° a couple of days and only in the forties for the lows instead of freezing off and on and then in the 60's most of the time. I have noticed that the Amer. Goldfinch - at least some of the males- have quite a bit of yellow. It is easy to spot them. I also know know that the females don't get the beautiful yellow that the males do nor the black cap. I'm just so curious. You can tell I have time on my hands to let this all bother me. LOL

Ann

All it says about the plumage change is that the breeding plumage is help in spring and summer, and non-breeding plumage is held in fall and winter.

I found a website that covers goldfinch molting in a lot of detail: http://www.westol.com/~banding/Winter05_06_December.htm

Didn't see anything about cases of early molting. From what I understand hormones regulate the molting in the birds. I don't know what triggers their hormones to start the molt.

Also its known that the availability of the foods they eat has given them a longer breeding season that some other birds. I don't know if their has ever been a study done, but perhaps it is possible that if the weather permits the plants they eat in the wild to grow out of the normal season (like dandelions) then maybe their bodies will be confused and send out the signal to start molting? It would be an interesting research project....

Thanks so much, mtx22. The research that has been done is very interesting. The Amer. Goldfinch is such a beautiful bird and I never really heard of it or had I seen it until the 1990's when we were living in Victoria, TX. There was the most beautiful yellow bird at the feeder. We only saw him a couple of times but you can be sure I looked him up and researched him as thoroughly as possible. I'm not much on googleing much preferring to get my information from the published books and such (I'm just old-fashioned). Our feeders are full of finches this year. First we had 2 prs. of Purple Finches and they moved on. Then we got lots of House finches - about 10-12 prs - then Carolina Chickadees which I had never seen before but I didn't live as far west of Houston as I am now. The Chickadees are beautiful w/their all black and white. We normally have Cardinals (1 pr.) and Blue Jays (1 pr.) and naturally lots of White Wing Doves, Mourning Doves and a few Inca Doves which clean up the mess left by the other birds as far as seed is concerned not to mention help from the House Sparrows and those blasted squirrels. Since we moved here in June I have seen my first Red Headed Woodpecker and either a flicker (NOID) or ? There are other birds here too but while I'm not housebound because of Osteoarthritis I still don't get around as well as I would like but I have a viewing room w/double paned glass which also blocks out the sound so we are going to have to get either a microphone, etc to allow us to hear the calls inside the house and/or a camera w/sound to both see and hear. The camera would be hooked up to my computer and the big TV in the viewing room. What a blast that would be!!

Ann