Noisy olive and black flockers. Common in Southwest, California, and southwest Texas in summer; California and along Mexican border in winter. Timing: summer and winter. Prefers weedy fields, treetops, open brush and edges. Very small with a short, conical bill; plumage is yellow, olive and black. Amount of black in back varies: more in the east and little in the west. Often in mixed flocks at feeding sites. Usually in noisy flocks. Diet includes seeds and thistle: mostly vegetarian. Oldest wild individual recorded was 7. Population ~ 47 million.