Goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The goldfinch is a strikingly beautiful bird, with a bright red face, black and white head and a deep golden yellow bar on the otherwise jet-black wings (2). Another notable feature is the long, pointed beak, which allows this species to extract seeds from teasels. Males and females are similar in appearance, although females have shorter beaks (5). Juveniles have greyish-brown streaked heads, lacking the red, white and black pattern of the adults (2). Flocks produce a delightful liquid twittering song and call (3).

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