adult

adult in flight juvenile European distribution

Identification

Goldfinches are easily identified by their striking colours; red, black and white on the head and black and gold in the wings. Juvenile birds have a streaked brown head but the broad gold stripe through the black wings is already obvious. The wing pattern is so vivid that many birdwatchers don't realise that the Goldfinch has a white rump.

Habitat

Breeds and winters wherever there are weeds, especially thistles, on wasteground, hedgerows and areas of scrub.

Behaviour

In recent years Goldfinches have started to visit gardens to feed on peanuts and bird seed. This may encourage a greater proportion to stay in Britain in winter.

Migration

Most of those which breed in northern Europe migrate to winter around the Mediterranean. In Britain, the Goldfinch is a partial migrant, with some birds, mainly males, staying here in winter but others migrate in September and October to winter in Belgium, France and Spain. Females usually migrate more readily and for greater distances than males.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Goldfinch is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Montcelebre, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 13/07/2010	Old Moor, S Yorks 27/07/2010	Rye Meads, Herts 25/07/2010	Worsley, Manc'r 22/07/2010	Plymouth, Devon 06/07/2010
Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 22/07/2010	Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 22/07/2010	jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 20/07/2010	Lochwinnoch RSPB, Clyde 19/07/2010	Cley, Norfolk 19/07/2010

 View all pictures of Goldfinch

Goldfinch breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Azores
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madeira
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

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