The gregarious little American Goldfinch changes its winter plumage to breeding plumage by a complete molt of its body feathers. It is the only member of its family to have this second molt in the spring; all the other species have just one molt each year in the fall. The breeding plumage works well, but a few polyandrous females switch mates after producing a first brood. The first male takes care of the fledglings while the female goes off to start another brood with a different male.
Their diet consists almost entirely of seeds and they migrate in large foraging flocks accordingly. This little guy's flock was visiting our house when I got his picture.
How cool is it that Jesus said we should all be bird-watchers? Remember? In the Sermon on the Mount He said, "Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?"
How are you doing on your "look at the birds" assignment? When was the last time you slowed down enough to let them remind you that all life is the hands of the Lord?
Job 12:7-10 - "But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?"
Comments