Get To Know the Goldfinch
Goldfinches are colourful birds with a bright red face, and yellow, white, and black feathers on their body and wings. Goldfinches are sociable birds and can be found breeding in loose colonies. You may recognize their liquid twittering song and call from the bird table or feeder in your garden. Although many Goldfinches stay in the UK year-round, some can migrate south to Spain in the winter.
Key Facts
Scientific Name: Carduelis carduelis
Bird Family: Finches
Diet: Seeds and insects in summer
Population: Global population100 million/ UK breeding: 1.65 million pairs
Measurements: Length: 12 cm/ Wingspan: 21-25.5 cm/ Weight: 14-19 g
Conservation Status and Threats
Goldfinches aren’t currently showing any signs of population decline and are on the Green list for UK conservation. However, Goldfinches are still susceptible to threats from disease and habitat destruction.
Nesting and Breeding Habits
Goldfinches nest between April and August, often building their nests in scattered trees, shrubs, and hedges — just like the ones you may find in your garden.
Goldfinches usually try for two broods in a year. The female Goldfinch will sit on the eggs for about 12 days. Once hatched, the chicks will stay in the nest for about 18 days before forming a flock and begin searching for food.
When and Where to See Them
You can find Goldfinches in your garden or in orchards, parks, or heathland across the UK year-round. While Goldfinches are found in Britain and Ireland all year, there may be fewer Goldfinches during the winter as some leave to winter in France, Spain, and Belgium.
How You Can Help
You can help the Goldfinch thrive by using recycling programs to decrease pollution and by supporting the RSPB here.
Volunteer: RSPB Volunteering Program
Donate: RSPB Donation Page
About The Artist
About Our Partner
The RSPB is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, working locally in the UK, and around the world. Our vision is a shared world where wildlife, wild places, and all people thrive. We act by protecting and restoring habitats, saving species, and helping to end the nature and climate emergency. Nature is in crisis. Together we can save it.
For all licensed Products sold by Historiart, Historiart will donate a minimum of £10,000 per annum to RSPB Sales Ltd, which gives all its distributable profits through Gift Aid to the RSPB.
Manufactured under licence from RSPB Sales Limited to raise awareness of the RSPB (charity registration in England and Wales no 207076 and Scotland no SC037654).