European Goldfinch 1

European GoldfinchGowdie redirects here; not to be confused with Goldie (disambiguation).

European Goldfinch

In Tarn, France

Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)Scientific classification

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: AvesOrder: PasseriformesFamily: FringillidaeGenus: Carduelis

Species: C. carduelis

Binomial name

Carduelis carduelis(Linnaeus, 1758)

European Goldfinch 2

Carduelis carduelis carduelis1 summer 2 all year

Carduelis carduelis caniceps3 summer 4 all year

The European Goldfinch or Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), is a small passerine bird in the finch family.

Taxonomy and systematicsThe species is divided into two major groups, each comprising several races. The two groups intergrade at theirboundary, so the caniceps group is not recognised as a distinct species despite its readily distinguishable plumage.Carduelis carduelis carduelis group.• Carduelis carduelis balcanica. Southeastern European• Carduelis carduelis brevirostris. Crimea, north Caucasus.• Carduelis carduelis britannica. British Isles.• Carduelis carduelis carduelis. Most of European mainland, Scandinavia.• Carduelis carduelis loudoni. South Caucasus, Iran.• Carduelis carduelis major. Western Siberia.• Carduelis carduelis niediecki. Southwest Asia, northeast Africa.• Carduelis carduelis parva. Atlantic Macaronesic Islands (Canary I., Madeira), Iberia [citation needed], northwest

Africa.• Carduelis carduelis tschusii. Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily.Carduelis carduelis caniceps group.• Carduelis carduelis caniceps. Southern central Asia.• Carduelis carduelis paropanisi. Afghanistan to western Himalaya and Tien Shan.• Carduelis carduelis subulata. South-central Siberia.Linnaeus classified the bird as Fringilla carduelis.The phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.

Description

Male and female on a Sunflower, in Tabo, India

The average Goldfinch is 12–13 cm long with a wingspan of 21–25 cmand a weight of 14 to 19 grams. The sexes are broadly similar, with ared face, black and white head, warm brown upperparts, whiteunderparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellowwings.

On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by alarger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, thered face does not reach the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long andpointed, and the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition havea white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of theyear. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are

unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe. Birds in central Asia (caniceps group) have a plain grey head behind thered face, lacking the black and white head pattern of European and western Asian birds.[1][2]

European Goldfinch 3

Distribution and habitatThe goldfinch is native to Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. It is found in open, partially woodedlowlands and is a resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make localmovements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world.[3] It wasintroduced at numerous places in south-eastern Australia in the 19th century, and their populations quickly increasedand their range expanded greatly. They now occur from Brisbane to the Eyre Peninsula.

Behaviour and ecology

Feeding on thistles - note thistledown in bill

A nest and eggs.

The goldfinch's preferred food is small seeds such as those fromthistles (the Latin name is from Carduus, a genus of thistles) andteasels, but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularlyvisits bird feeders in winter. Goldfinches nest in the outer twigs of tallleafy trees, or even in bamboo, laying four to six eggs, which hatch in11–14 days.

In the winter goldfinches group together to form flocks of up to forty,occasionally more.The song is a pleasant silvery twittering. The call is a melodic tickeLIT,and the song is a pleasant tinkling medley of trills and twitters, butalways including the trisyllabic call phrase or a teLLIT-teLLIT-teLLIT.

In earlier times, the Goldfinch was kept as a cagebird for its song.Escapes from captivity and deliberate releases have colonisedsoutheastern Australia and New Zealand.

Goldfinches are attracted to back gardens in Europe and NorthAmerica by birdfeeders containing niger (commercially described asnyjer) seed. This seed of an annual from South Asia is small, and highin oils. Special polycarbonate feeders with small oval slits at which theGoldfinches feed are sometimes used.

Relationships with humans

Captive Carduelis carduelis caniceps

Goldfinches are commonly kept and bred in captivity around the worldbecause of their distinctive appearance and pleasant song. Thegoldfinch males are sometimes crossed with Canary females with theintention to produce male mules with beautiful singing voices, thatoften capture the best singing attributes of both breeds.

European Goldfinch 4

Madonna of the Goldfinch byRaphael, (c. 1505–6)

Because of the thistle seeds it eats, in Christian symbolism the goldfinch isassociated with Christ's Passion and his crown of thorns. The goldfinch,appearing in pictures of the Madonna and Christ child, represents theforeknowledge Jesus and Mary had of the Crucifixion. Examples include theMadonna del cardellino or Madonna of the Goldfinch, painted by the Italianrenaissance artist Raphael in about 1505–6, in which John the Baptist offers thegoldfinch to Christ in warning of his future. In Barocci's Holy Family a goldfinchis held in the hand of John the Baptist who holds it high out of reach of aninterested cat. In Cima da Conegliano's Madonna and Child, a goldfinch fluttersin the hand of the Christ child. It is also an emblem of endurance, fruitfulness,and persistence. Because it symbolizes the Passion, the goldfinch is considered a"saviour" bird and may be pictured with the common fly (which represents sinand disease). The goldfinch is also associated with Saint Jerome and appears insome depictions of him.

Antonio Vivaldi composed a Concerto in D major for Flute "Il Gardellino" (RV 428, Op. 10 No. 3), where thesinging of the Goldfinch is imitated by a flute.

Goldfinches, with their "wanton freak" and "yellow flutterings", are among the many natural "luxuries" that delightthe speaker of John Keats's poem 'I stood tip-toe upon a little hill...' (1816).

In the much admired poem The Great Hunger by Patrick Kavanagh the goldfinch is one of the rare glimpses ofbeauty in the life of an elderly Irish farmer-a man might imagine.... these birds the birds of paradise.

References[1] Clement, P., Harris, A., & Davis, J. (1993). Finches & Sparrows. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-8017-2.[2][2] Svensson, L. (1992). Identification Guide to European Passerines. ISBN 91-630-1118-2.[3] Snow, D. W. & Perrins, C. M. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise ed. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854099-X.

External links• Information on European Goldfinches being reported in the U.S. Midwestern states (http:/ / www. umd. umich.

edu/ dept/ rouge_river/ eugo. html); includes request for sightings.• European Goldfinch videos, photos & sounds (http:/ / ibc. lynxeds. com/ species/

european-goldfinch-carduelis-carduelis) on the Internet Bird Collection• Ageing and sexing (PDF; 3.8 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze (http:/ / www. ibercajalav.

net/ img/ 431_GoldfinchC. carduelis. pdf)• The RSPB: Goldfinch (http:/ / www. rspb. org. uk/ wildlife/ birdguide/ name/ g/ goldfinch/ index. aspx)

Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and ContributorsEuropean Goldfinch  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=574062999  Contributors: 88888, AJR, AQUIMISMO, Aa77zz, Aberta, Abigail-II, Ahuskay, Andreas Trepte, ArxFortis, Ashershow1, Barticus88, Benjamint444, Beusson, Bigjimr, Bob98133, Breakinguptheguy, British Birder, Carryanation, Chasnor15, ChrisGualtieri, Chrisdoyleorwell, Chuunen Baka,Cosmo0, David Haslam, Dead3y3, Deomurari, Dibyendu Ash, Doncsecz, Dysmorodrepanis, EditorInTheRye, Engti, Etxrge, Evice, Ffirehorse, First Light, Freegiampi, Gil Gamesh, Gogglebum,Gouerouz, Gryffin Swe, Ham, Hank01, HenkvD, Hesperian, HumanArchAngelG, Ingii, Innotata, Isfisk, J.delanoy, JJ Harrison, JavierAlonso, JerryFriedman, Jimfbleak, Kaarel, Kelly2357,Kmoksy, Knutux, Kpjas, Kurtle, Lascorz, Liberal Classic, Lokyz, Lotje, Lupin, MPF, MPRO, Magioladitis, Mais oui!, Marc Venot, McGeddon, MeonLamont, Mishae, Mohdyavari, Motis,Mwng, Naddy, Nattlecullen, Neddyseagoon, Numbo3, Obli, Ohnoitsjamie, Orangebeaker, Ornithodiez, Paukrus, Pil56, Remohammadi, Rhion, SGreen, Snowmanradio, Stalfur, Stefandrew,Stemonitis, Steven Walling, Stu189, Sun Creator, Supertrooper3, Tannin, Tedder, Template namespace initialisation script, Thrissel, Tigershrike, Tom harrison, Tomer T, WikiLambo, Wikifier,Xezbeth, 85 ,ماني anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributorsfile:Carcar.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Carcar.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: User:Kookaburra 81file:Status iucn3.1 LC.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg  License: unknown  Contributors: Clindberg, Foomin10, Ismukhammed, Kelson,Palosirkka, Pengo, ZxxZxxZ, 8 anonymous editsfile:Carduelis carduelis map.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Carduelis_carduelis_map.png  License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Contributors: Dysmorodrepanis, MPF, Misigon, Tony Wills, 2 anonymous editsFile:Two European Goldfinches on a Sunflower.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Two_European_Goldfinches_on_a_Sunflower.JPG  License: Creative CommonsAttribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: User:EngtiImage:Carduelis carduelis2.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Carduelis_carduelis2.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: photo MPFImage:Gold Finch eggs.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gold_Finch_eggs.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Benjamint444File:Carduelis caniceps F.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Carduelis_caniceps_F.JPG  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: FreegiampiFile:Raffaello Sanzio - Madonna del Cardellino - Google Art Project.jpg  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Raffaello_Sanzio_-_Madonna_del_Cardellino_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Bukk, Primaler, Sailko

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