The Goldfinch is a colourful finch with a bright red face and yellow wing patch. It's a very sociable bird, often breeding in loose groups. It has a delightful twittering song and call. Their fine beaks allow them to extract otherwise inaccessible seeds from thistles and teasels. Increasingly, they are visiting bird tables and feeders. In winter, many UK Goldfinches migrate as far south as Spain.
The European goldfinch is illegally trafficked and can be found in countries worldwide, including the United States.
They attach their nests to tree twigs using spider silk.
Males and females look similar, but males have slightly larger red face masks that extend to their eyes.
They are frequent visitors to backyard feeders, especially those containing niger seeds.
They forage by hovering over plants and will occasionally feed upside down.
The European goldfinch or simply the goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a small passerine bird in the finch family that is native to Europe, North Africa and western and central Asia. It has been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay.
