Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Passeriformes Family: Carduelidae
BTO Codes: GO, GOLDF EURING No: 16530
Number in Britain: 299 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: Not a species of concern
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant/Resident Breeder
Subspecies: britannica recorded in Britain (of 14 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 12 cm Wingspan: 24 cm Weight: M/F: 17 g    
Scientific name from: L.: carduelis=the goldfinch
World Distribution: Eurasia, INTRODUCED: se Australia
Habitat: Woodland, farmland, open country
Diet: Small seeds esp daisies (Asteraceae) often half-ripe, some invertebrates in summer

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    BBS Maps
Abundance Maps: Population Density   Change in Density   Guide to Interpretation
British Population Size:
    Summer: 299 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: GREEN
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern: britannica AMBER (Important Population)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Villages
    Also common in: Reedbed
    And found in: Pasture Farmland, Towns
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries  and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
    Summer: 11 to 27 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(III), Bern(III)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack
Results from Garden BirdWatch
Results from the Winter Farmland Bird Survey

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 17 x 13 mm Egg Weight: 1.5 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 59   (more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size: 5 eggs 4.81 ± 0.66 (2 - 7) N = 659
Incubation: 13- 15 days 13.55 ± 1.99 (10 - 17.5) N = 659   by the: Female
Fledging: 14 - 17days 15.08 ± 2.12 (11 - 18.5) N = 1073 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 25 May (26 Apr - 19 Jul)
Number of Broods: 2(3)
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.371 ± 0.018    (M:0.356 ± 0.049; F:0.399 ± 0.055)      
Juvenile Survival: 0.337 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 8 years 8 months 4 days (set in 2004)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: A
Wing Length Adult: 78.2 ± 4.9     Range 62.0 - 91.0 mm, (N = 28543)
Juvenile: 77.9 ± 2.4     Range 62.0 - 89.0 mm, (N = 72132)
Male: 79.3 ± 5.9     Range 62.0 - 91.0 mm, (N = 16530)
Female: 76.6 ± 1.9     Range 63.0 - 89.0 mm, (N = 10240)
Weight Adult: 15.80 ± 1.24 Range 10.70 - 20.60 g , (N =22144)
Juvenile: 15.3 ± 1.2 Range 10.7 - 20.6 . , (N =60957)
Male: 16.11 ± 1.18 Range 10.90 - 20.60 g , (N =12823)
Female: 15.33 ± 1.16 Range 10.70 - 20.60 g , (N =7930)
Seasonal: Summer 15.58 ± 1.03 (N = 13851)   Autumn 15.82 ± 1.21 (N = 13236)   Winter 16.02 ± 1.19 (N = 52077)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

European Goldfinch
Gaelic: Deargan-fraoich Welsh: Nico
Danish: Stillits Dutch: Putter
Finnish: Tikli French: Chardonneret
German: Stieglitz Hungarian: Tengelic
Icelandic: Žistilfinka Irish: Lasair Choille
Italian: Cardellino Norwegian: Stillits
Polish: Szczygiel Portuguese: Pintassilgo
Spanish: Jilguero Swedish: Steglits
Local Names:Redhead
Collective Noun:Charm

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Newton, I. 1972 The finches Collins, London [598.982 NEW]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead