# European Goldfinch (*Carduelis carduelis*)

The European goldfinch (*Carduelis carduelis*) is a bird of the family Fringillidae, in the order Passeriformes.

> The European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a small, colourful finch with a red face, black-and-white head and a broad gold bar on black wings. It feeds on the seeds of thistles, teasels and other plants and is a common visitor to garden feeders. It lives across Europe, North Africa and western Asia and has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It is listed as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa and western and central Asia; introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/european-goldfinch/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Fringillidae
- **Genus:** Carduelis

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Carduelis carduelis |
| Diet | Small seeds, especially thistle and teasel; insects for chicks |
| Habitat | Open woodland, scrub, farmland, parks and gardens |
| Weight | About 16 g |
| Lifespan | Typically 2 years; oldest ringed bird 10 years |
| Range | Europe, North Africa and western and central Asia |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2019) |

## Identification

Adults have a bright red face, a white cheek and a black crown, a warm brown back, and black wings with a broad yellow band and white spots. Young birds lack the red face until their first autumn. The song is a liquid, tinkling twitter.

## Seed specialists

The goldfinch's fine, pointed bill lets it pull seeds from thistles, teasels and other plants that bigger finches cannot reach. Its scientific name comes from carduus, the Latin word for thistle.

## A charm of goldfinches

Goldfinches feed and travel in small, twittering flocks known as 'charms'. Their bright colours made them a symbol in medieval and Renaissance paintings, and they were once widely trapped as cage birds.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the European goldfinch as Least Concern (2019), estimating 101 to 155 million mature birds, though it reports a decreasing trend. BTO data give a typical life expectancy of 2 years; the oldest ringed bird lived 10 years.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a group of goldfinches called?

A charm.

### What do goldfinches eat?

Mainly small seeds such as thistle, teasel and dandelion, and nyjer and sunflower hearts at garden feeders.

### Is the European goldfinch the same as the American goldfinch?

No. The American goldfinch is a different species in a different genus; males are bright yellow with black caps.

### How long do goldfinches live?

Typically about 2 years; the oldest ringed goldfinch lived 10 years.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/european-goldfinch-carduelis-carduelis)
- [BTO BirdFacts: Goldfinch. British Trust for Ornithology.](https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/goldfinch)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the European Goldfinch

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/european-goldfinch/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.