Bright adult doesn’t refer to any kind of intelligence quotient but rather, in this case, to this female Lesser Goldfinch being a “bright adult” as referenced in my Sibley Guide to Birds. When I downloaded the photographs I noticed she seemed yellower than some of the other females I’ve seen in the yard. Most are pretty drab by comparison. The males, with their black caps and lemon yellow bodies, are really the bright ones. When I looked at Sibley, some females are considered “bright” and are distinguished not only but the brighter yellow of their feathers but also by a few white feathers at the base of their primaries. The Lesser Goldfinches are becoming much more tolerant of me and I was able to approach the fountain, sit down just three feet away, and take photographs while this little female continued to bathe, seemingly undisturbed by my presence.
