European Goldfinch

Images ©:

European Goldfinch - The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries/McCann | European Goldfinch - Bob Winters | European Goldfinch - Bob Winters | European Goldfinch - Bob Winters

Carduelis carduelis

Male and female similar with a red face bordered white, black crown, nape, tail and wings. Broad yellow wing bar and white rump. Immatures are brown and streaked however the wings and tail are colored like adults. Size 12-13.5 cm.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Finches and Sparrows
Biology

Breeds September-December. Builds a cup-shaped nest in shrubs or introduced trees.

Distinctive Markings

Distinctive red face bordered with white with a black crown and nape. Yellow wing-bars.

Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Fringillidae
Genus
Carduelis
Species
carduelis
Native to western Europe, north Africa to central Asia. Distributed throughout Victoria, Tasmania, south-eastern South Australia and coastal New South Wales and southern coastal Queensland.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

European Goldfinch were introduced in south-eastern Australia in the 1860s.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Omnivore, feeding on small seeds e.g. the introduced Scotch Thistle, and insects in the summer.

Habitat

Grasslands, farmlands, roadsides, weedy areas.

Native Status
Introduced
Audio
Audio samples
Sounds
Canary like trills and chirps "tswit-tsiewt-tswit-swit-zwee-tzwee".