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European GoldfinchAlternate name(s): "Goldfinch", "Gowdie" ![]() Size: 12-13 cm; wing span 21-25 cm Weight: 14-19 g |
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Photos |
Race "carduelis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal/ventral view of a European Goldfinch
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]
Lateral/dorsal view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, January 2019]
Two European Goldfinches foraging in tall grass
Race "parva"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a European Goldfinch
call
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]
Frontal view of a European Goldfinch issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]
Near-lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2022]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, June 2019]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]
Dorsal view of a European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]
Mob of European Goldfinches
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Albergaria dos Fusos, Oriola, Portel, Portugal, January 2020]
European Goldfinches on high perches
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Peso, Montemor o Novo, Evora, Portugal, December 2018]
Distant lateral view of a European Goldfinch banking to land
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]
European Goldfinch with, for comparison, a
Common Linnet
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, November 2018]
European Goldfinch with, for comparison, a male
Stonechat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral view of an immature European Goldfinch moulting into
adult plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2014]
Frontal view of a juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Parque do Gameiro, Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]
Lateral view of an juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]
Lateral view of a juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, July 2020]
Lateral view of a juvenile European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2014]
European Goldfinch feeding a dependent juvenile
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Braganca, Portugal, July 2022]
Race "balcanica"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch (photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Ovcarsko-Kablarski Canyon, near Cacak, Serbia, October 2017]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Apr - Sep | Eggs: 4 - 6 | Incubation period: 11 - 13 days | Fledging age: 13 - 18 days |
The breeding season depends a lot on geographical latitude and climatic conditions. The period listed in the table above applies to central Europe. European Goldfinches can have 2, sometimes 3, clutches per season.
Nest building: Female | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
Type: Basket | Material: Lichen, moss, grass, plant down | Height above ground: 1.5 - 5? m |
View from above into a European Goldfinch nest in a vine
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2019]
European Goldfinch collecting nest material
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2021]
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Eggs |
Size: 17 x 13 mm | Colour: White, with sparse near-black speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
View from above into a European Goldfinch nest with 5 eggs inside
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]
View from above into a European Goldfinch nest with 5 eggs inside
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen Germany, June 2019]
The owner of the European Goldfinch, whose temporary absence
was used for a sneak peek
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial? | Mobility: Sedentary/migratory | Elementary unit: Pair/family clan |
European Goldfinchs are a species of finch that does not form flocks outside the breeding season. They are usually found in small numbers, as pairs or family units.
Their preference for feeding on flowers and seeds of various species of thistles, and thereby spending a lot of time on thistles, has earned them their common German name of "Thistle Finch".
Frontal view of a European Goldfinch feeding on petals of a thistle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Seeds, buds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Regular |
Like all finches known to us, European Goldfinches are primarily seed-eaters.
Note that cardueline finches (i.e. European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch, Eurasian Siskin and their close relatives) feed their young primarily regurgitated seeds, while fringilline finches (all others) feed their young primarily invertebrates.
Frontal view of a European Goldfinch feeding on petals of
thistle flowers
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]
Near-lateral view of a European Goldfinch feeding on parts of the
flowers of milk thistles
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]
Lateral view of a European Goldfinch feeding on parts of the
flowers of milk thistles
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]
European Goldfinch feeding on the seeds of a thistle
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2019]
European Goldfinch feeding on the seeds of a thistle
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2019]
European Goldfinch taking a sunflower kernel from a bird feeder
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, January 2019]
European Goldfinch taking sunflower kernels from a bird feeder
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Poitier, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, November 2019]
European Goldfinch having a drink of water
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2020]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
goldfin_dw_20190417.m4a |
carduelis (Poland) |
Territorial calls(?) | © DW | |
goldfin_dw_20200829.m4a |
carduelis (Poland) |
? (in-flight) | © DW | |
goldfin_jp_20190507.m4a |
parva (Portugal) |
Various | © JP | |
goldfin_jp_20190704.m4a |
parva (Portugal) |
Various | © JP |
More European Goldfinch sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.