Description
The Goldfinch is a remarkably colourful finch: red face, white cheeks, black
crown, golden brown body, and a bright yellow wing bar on black wings. Looking
more closely, the back and flanks are a tawny brown. The wings are mostly black
with a large striking yellow band. The belly and rump are white. The nape and
crown are black, the face is red, and ear coverts are white. The beak is a very
pale grey. The sexes are similar, except that the male's red face extends
slightly behind the eye.
Juveniles are generally a dull brown with black wings and pale brown wing bands,
and lack the red, white, and black head.
Voice
A pleasant rambling twitter or tinkling best describes the most common call
of the Goldfinch, and its song is a composition of this call and other rattling
notes. Goldfinches used to be commonly kept as caged birds because of their
colourful plumage and enchanting singing.
Feeding
Goldfinches feed on various tree seeds, 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.
Breeding
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. 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.
| Breeding Starts |
Number of Clutches |
Number of Eggs |
Incubation (days) |
Fledge (days) |
| late April |
2-3 |
3-7 |
10-14 |
13-18 |
Reproduced with kind permission of
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