Carduelis carduelis
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.
Length
12cm to 13cm
Wingspan
21cm to 25cm
Weight
14g to 19g
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Red Black White
Secondary Colour
Brown Yellow
Beak Colour
Pale Pink
Leg Colour
Pink
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
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.
Up to 4,200 meters
Temperate, Mediterranean
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European Goldfinches primarily feed on small seeds, particularly those of thistles, teasels, and dandelions. They also consume seeds from birch and alder trees, and occasionally small insects, especially when feeding young.
Their specialised beak is adapted for extracting seeds from flower heads.
Insects, including bugs, moths, beetles and flies, form a smaller part of a goldfinch’s diet, particularly during early spring and breeding season. Spiders and larvae are also eaten.
European Goldfinches are highly social, often seen in small flocks outside the breeding season. They have an acrobatic feeding style, clinging to thistle heads and other plants to extract seeds.
These birds are also known for their undulating flight pattern, alternating between flapping and gliding.
The European Goldfinch has a pleasant, tinkling song that includes a variety of sweet trills and twitters. Their flight call is a distinctive 'tickelitt' or 'stichlit', which gives rise to their German name 'Stieglitz'. When feeding or in flocks, they produce a soft, conversational warbling.
Breeding season for European Goldfinches typically begins in late April. Males perform a fluttering display flight to attract females, often accompanied by song.
Females construct a neat, cup-shaped nest of moss, lichen, and plant down, usually in the outer branches of trees or shrubs. They lay 4-6 pale blue eggs with reddish-brown spots.
Incubation lasts about 12-14 days, carried out by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 13-18 days but continue to be fed by adults for several more weeks.
years
The European Goldfinch typically lives for 2 to 3 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
While the European Goldfinch is currently listed as Least Concern, it has faced historical declines due to trapping for the cage-bird trade.
In the UK, conservation efforts and increased garden feeding have contributed to a population recovery in recent decades.
Goldfinch
Main predators include sparrowhawks, cats, and other small birds of prey. Nests may be raided by jays, magpies, and squirrels.
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website: BirdLife International. 2019. Carduelis carduelis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T103764950A152615959.
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