I don't know why, but this is the very 1st time I have ever seen one bath! Even with all the Goldfinches we have here...
I've seen House Finches, Robins, Grackles, Starlings, House Sparrows, Blue Jays and Mourning Doves bathe, but never Cardinals or Goldfinches. I always found that to be strange...
Here's a pic of a female bathing with her mate close by...


Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

That is great. I have had a bird bath when I lived in NY and here in WA. I have had many goldfinches use the bath for drinking but never ever for a bath. It is great to see that they actually do bathe!!


Jeff

I haven't seen them bathe much either. Unlike the catbirds that bathe several times a day,fly up to a nearby tree limb to preen,and then go back for another dunk.

Nancy
Chazy,NY zone 4

Robins use mine for bathing more than any other bird. I see cardinals bathe in it, too. The finch, chickadees and titmice usually just drink--at least when I'm watching. It's a very cute picture Susan Louise!

Carol

Carol R
Tennessee
USDA Hardiness Zone 7
Heat Zone 7

Hello Jeff, Nancy and Carol,

Thank you...

Jeff,
I agree...I was beginning to wonder if they did bathe. If it wasn't for a single youtube video i had seen, I had my doubts...

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

My "regulars" at the birdbath are chickadees and wren tits. The latter come thru my yard in a flock, constantly keeping in touch with soft chirping. They're very acrobatic as they work thru several of the bushes, grooming them for little insects. I often watch them thru the window next to my computer, where they clamber all over 3 butterfly bushes. When it's bath time, there'll be up to a dozen in the water or on the rim, while the rest of the flock is in the nearby shrubs, waiting their turn. They're never around long before they move on to the next stop on their rounds, but they're back again in a few hours. If I don't happen to be nearby, I'll hear their little voices and look up to see what they're up to.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Susan Louise,
I never thought that much about it- I have lots of goldfinches and a "bird creek" and a regular bird bath and although they drink from them constantly, I haven't seen them taking a bath.

That means I'm especially impressed with your picture!

Carol WNY
Amherst, NY
Zone 5

Like the others have said, I have also never seen a goldfinch bathe either Susan-Louise, great way to capture the moment!

Ruth
Everett, WA
Zone 8

My most frequent bathers are the black capped chicadees, chipping sparrows and hosps. I did see a male bathing when I had one of the birdbaths out in the back corner behind the salvia bed but I had to move it when the plants got so big that I couldn't get back there to clean it regularly.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39