One of the 2 goldfinches on WAnimals
Birds · Passeriformes · Fringillidae
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
A small finch with an unmistakable tricoloured head: a red face mask, a black crown and sides and white elsewhere. Its black wings carry a broad yellow band visible both perched and in flight. The bill, long, conical and sharp, is adapted to extracting thistle seeds from between the spines.
Weight
14 g – 19 g
Size
11 cm – 13.5 cm
Lifespan
3 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Estimated population
The Spanish population is estimated at between 14 and 15.5 million individuals in the Third Atlas, with half of it spread across Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha and Castile and León
Fun facts
- It was chosen SEO/BirdLife's Bird of the Year 2026 by public vote, ahead of the Eurasian skylark and the European shag.
- Its song has earned it centuries of illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade, now regulated by European legislation; it remains one of its main threats.
- Antonio Vivaldi dedicated a flute concerto to it, "Il Cardellino" (RV 428), in which the soloist repeatedly imitates its song.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Farmed landscapes and open country with trees: olive groves, dehesas, river plains, orchards, field margins, parks and gardens. Its liking for thistles and knapweeds explains its abundance in river plains and olive groves. Rarely above 1,800 m
- Gestation / incubation
- 12-14 days, by the female alone, whom the male feeds at the nest
- Litter / clutch size
- 4-6 white or slightly bluish eggs with irregular speckles; usually two clutches a year, rarely three
- Lifespan in captivity
- 7 - 10 years
Sources consulted: SEO/BirdLife (ficha y III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España); IUCN Red List; Asturnatura; SEO/BirdLife, Ave del Año 2026; Carrascal y Palomino 2008; Purroy 1997, I Atlas
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round; in winter it forms mixed flocks with other finches and is easier to see
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 229 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with European Goldfinch — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Trumpeter Finch
Bucanetes githagineus
European Serin
Serinus serinus
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra
Common Linnet
Linaria cannabina
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinus
Scottish Crossbill
Loxia scotica
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about european goldfinch.
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