The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and its subspecies

Family: Fringillidae

Geographical distribution:

Depends on the subspecies. Europe, Scandinavia, the Azores, the Canary Islands, North Africa, the Middle East, Iran. Introduced to the United States, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay.

Subspecies:

9 subspecies of black-headed goldfinches:

Carduelis carduelis carduelis: The European Goldfinch, also known as the Common Goldfinch.

Carduelis carduelis tschusii: The Corsican goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis balcanica: The Balkan Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis niediecki: The Middle Eastern and Near Eastern Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis brevirostris: The Caucasian Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis loudoni: The Iranian Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis britanica: The British Isles Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis parva: The Spanish Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis major: The Greater Siberian Goldfinch.

In some regions, the Siberian Goldfinch interbreeds with the Turkestan Goldfinch.

4 subspecies of grey-headed goldfinches

Carduelis carduelis caniceps: The Himalayan Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis subulata: The Turkestan Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis paropanisi: The Central Asian Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis ultima: The Iranian Goldfinch.

Colour morphs:

Recognised: Pastel, Brown, Agate, Isabelle, Satin, Albino, White

Not recognised by the COM: Pastel Brown, Pastel Agate, White-headed, Yellow, Eumo, Yellow Eumo, White-headed Pastel, White-headed Agate, White-headed Isabelle, White-headed Brown, White-headed Satin, Yellow Pastel, Yellow Agate, Yellow Isabelle, Yellow Satin, Yellow Pastel with white head, Yellow Agate with white head, Yellow Isabelle with white head, Yellow Brown with white head, Phaeo, Opal, ‘Cardinal’, Pearled, White Variegated.

General information

This is our European Gouldian finch! It inhabits temperate regions, woods, orchards, gardens, cultivated fields, forest edges and scrubland. Size: 11.12 cm for the common goldfinch, up to the size of a coloured canary for the Siberian goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis major). Sexual dimorphism is not very pronounced (mask, wing coverts).

Diet

Grasses, small insects.
In captivity: Blattner’s mix + canary mix, seed-based mash + insect-based mash, live or frozen insects, fresh grasses, berries, millet in clusters.

Breeding:

From April/May. Nest positioned in a fork, in the form of a particularly neat cup-shaped structure at a height of between 1 metre and 10 metres. Materials: rootlets, moss, horsehair, wool, plant-based cotton. Clutch of 4 to 5 eggs. Incubation period: 13 days.

In captivity, they prefer to nest in well-lit areas of the aviary. Minimum space for a pair: 0.50 m × 0.50 m × 1.00 m. Recommended space: a small aviary measuring 1.00 m × 2.00 m × 2.00 m for a pair (alternatively 1.00 m × 1.00 m × 2.00 m). Wicker or metal nests.

Reminder of keeping conditions:

The keeping of European chaffinches of the wild phenotype or of a mutant phenotype not approved by the COM and therefore not recognised by the relevant authorities is subject to obtaining a certificate of competence and authorisation to operate a facility; these birds are therefore protected.

Jean-Michel EYTORFF