Species Overview Of The Goldfinch.

[Meroman 105]

Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Adult Goldfinch

General Overview:

The average Goldfinch is 12-13 cm long with a wingspan of 21-25 cm and a weight of 14 to 19 grams. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown
upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches (known as tannings), and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a
larger, darker red mask that normally extends just behind the eye. In females, the red face does not usually extend beyond or behind the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed, and
the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition tend to develop a clear rather than white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of the year. Juveniles have a plain head and
a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe.

Juvenile Goldfinch (also referred to as a Greypate)

Habitat:

They occupy a range of habitats including open woodland, orchards, parks, gardens and other cultivated areas.
Goldfinches are attracted to back gardens in Europe with specially designed birdfeeders containing niger (commercially described as nyjer seed). This seed of an annual from South Asia
is small and black, and it seems, irrestible to goldfinches. It is high in oils. Small oval slits are introduced into a polycarbonate cylinder, and at these apertures, goldfinches feed while perching
on small perches perpendicular to the vertical axis of the birdfeeder.

Diet:

Goldfinches feed on various tree seeds, such as alder and birch, and on thistle, teasel and dandelion seeds, which it can obtain owing to its thin bill and light weight.
Niger seed and teasels may attract them in gardens, especially if there are no fields nearby with thistles and dandelions, but they will also feed on sunflower hearts.

Breeding:

Goldfinch feeding young

The cup-shaped nest is built by the female with moss, grass and lichen, and lined with wool and plant down. The nest is usually in a tree towards the end of a branch or in a bush, and
often in large gardens and orchards, but also in open woodland and hedgerows. The smooth, glossy eggs are pale blue with reddish markings, and about 18 mm by 13 mm. Incubation is by the
female only. The young are fed by both parents. They may lay two to three clutches of four or five eggs a year.

Clutch of eggs in nest

Close-up view of eggs

Distribution:

1.Summer Visitor 2.All Year

Note: UK native resident species are smaller than the European, Northern and Siberian cousins.

Voice:

A pleasant rambling twitter or tinkling best describes the most common call of the Goldfinch.The delightful song is a composition of this call and other rattling notes and is sometimes
accompanied by the "pivoting display" in which the male drops its wings slightly and pivots from side to side.

[fireman 11,038]

Nice one again Meroman ..

[Meroman 105]

Thanks lads, I'll keep posting this info as I get permission from the original authors...

I dont want to overshoot the runway here but I wonder would admin consider creating a sub forum within ''cage & aviary birds'' to post all these articles then pin it so its always at the top otherwise these topics will eventually get lost in all the threads that are running.

Just a thought mind, I'm only thinking aloud