European Goldfinch

The European Goldfinch is a striking small finch with a distinctive red face and black-and-white head. Its wings are black with a bright yellow wing bar, while the body is mainly buff or light brown.

During the breeding season, the bill of male and female goldfinches is white, but at other times of the year, it is marked with a black tip.

Female goldfinches are very alike in appearance to males, and visually, it is hard to tell them apart from a distance. At close range, the sexes can be distinguished by the size of the red facial patch, with the females not extending past the eyes as it does in males of the species.

Juvenile goldfinches do not develop adults' red, white and black facial markings until the late summer or autumn after hatching. Until this point, they have streaky buff-brown markings on their heads.

European Goldfinches inhabit open woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens across Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. They prefer areas with scattered trees and shrubs interspersed with open ground rich in seeding plants.

Goldfinches are widespread residents in the UK, with some birds migrating south in winter. They have also been introduced to Australia and New Zealand, where they have established populations.