Goldfinch
The European Goldfinch or simply the Goldfinch is a small passerine bird in the finch family.
The Goldfinch is 4.7 to 5.1 inches in length with a wingspan of 8.3 to 9.8 inches. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upper parts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection, males can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. The shoulder feathers are black, whereas they are brown on the female. In females, the red face does not extend past the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed and the tail is forked. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe.
The Goldfinch is native to Europe, north Africa and west and central Asia. It is found in open, partially wooded lowlands and it is a resident in the milder west of its range but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world.
In the UK, the Goldfinch can be seen anywhere there are scattered bushes and trees, rough ground with thistles and other seeding plants, including orchards, parks, gardens, heathland and commons. It is less common in upland areas and most numerous in the south of England.
The nest is built entirely by the female Goldfinch and is generally completed within a week. It is neat and compact and constructed of mosses and lichens and lined with plant down such as that from thistles. It is generally located several feet above the ground, hidden by leaves in the twigs at the end of a branch.
The female typically lays 4 to 6 eggs which are incubated for 11 to 13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. Initially they receive a mixture of seeds and insects but as they grow the proportion of insect material decreases. For the first 7 to 9 days the young are brooded by the female. The nestlings fledge 13 to 18 days after hatching. The young birds are fed by both parents for a further 7 to 9 days. The parents typically raise 2 broods each year and occasionally 3.
The Goldfinch's preferred food is small seeds such as those from thistles and teasels but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularly visits bird feeders in winter.
The Goldfinch is commonly kept and bred in captivity around the world because of its distinctive appearance and pleasant song. In the UK during the 19th century, many thousands of Goldfinches were trapped each year to be sold as cage birds. One of the earliest campaigns of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was directed against this trade.
Date: 26th April 2020
Location: Gloucester Park, Basildon, Essex
The Goldfinch is 4.7 to 5.1 inches in length with a wingspan of 8.3 to 9.8 inches. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upper parts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection, males can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. The shoulder feathers are black, whereas they are brown on the female. In females, the red face does not extend past the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed and the tail is forked. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe.
The Goldfinch is native to Europe, north Africa and west and central Asia. It is found in open, partially wooded lowlands and it is a resident in the milder west of its range but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world.
In the UK, the Goldfinch can be seen anywhere there are scattered bushes and trees, rough ground with thistles and other seeding plants, including orchards, parks, gardens, heathland and commons. It is less common in upland areas and most numerous in the south of England.
The nest is built entirely by the female Goldfinch and is generally completed within a week. It is neat and compact and constructed of mosses and lichens and lined with plant down such as that from thistles. It is generally located several feet above the ground, hidden by leaves in the twigs at the end of a branch.
The female typically lays 4 to 6 eggs which are incubated for 11 to 13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents. Initially they receive a mixture of seeds and insects but as they grow the proportion of insect material decreases. For the first 7 to 9 days the young are brooded by the female. The nestlings fledge 13 to 18 days after hatching. The young birds are fed by both parents for a further 7 to 9 days. The parents typically raise 2 broods each year and occasionally 3.
The Goldfinch's preferred food is small seeds such as those from thistles and teasels but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularly visits bird feeders in winter.
The Goldfinch is commonly kept and bred in captivity around the world because of its distinctive appearance and pleasant song. In the UK during the 19th century, many thousands of Goldfinches were trapped each year to be sold as cage birds. One of the earliest campaigns of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was directed against this trade.
Date: 26th April 2020
Location: Gloucester Park, Basildon, Essex
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Also in: Finches
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