Gold Finch - Carduelis carduelis
Favourite Photos
Species Description
Common and widespread throughout the UK apart from the highlands of Scottland. Habitat includes: Anywhere with a supply of food and nearby trees in places such as gardens, parks, allotments, churchyards, fields, woodland, scrub, hedgerows, wasteland etc. Life story: A once critically endangered bird due to it's demand in the bird trade during the 1800s and continued to remain low up until the 1950s. Since then they have increased decade by decade and have made one of the most exceptional recoveries in conservation history. They are frequent visitors to bird feeders especially those filled with Niger (Guizotia abyssinica). Diet: seeds (especially Teasel, Sow-thistles, Dandelions and Groundsels) and invertebrates such as Aphids, spiders, Ants etc. Length: 12cm, Wingspan: 21 - 25.5 cm, Weight: 14 - 19g, Population: 1.2 million UK breeding pairs. Many birds migrate to Southern Europe (over 80%) during the Winter. At the same time influxes often come in from Scandinavia. In some years (about every 10) we get 'super influxes' where flocks of hundreds can be seen coming to warmer climbs, escaping a harsh winter in Northern Europe; causing poor insect and seed yields.