A feature on our website in the journal ALCEDO (Italy), February 2006, by Dr Massimo NATALE

Carduelines are a group of birds belonging to the Fringillidae family. This family also includes the genera Serinus and Carduelis, which comprise species of great importance to ornithologists: goldfinches, greenfinches, siskins, exotic siskins….

The website of Jean-Michel EYTORFF, a French breeder who has been breeding and studying finches in captivity for 35 years, is dedicated to this family of birds.

This highly informative website is organised into useful and interesting sections: of particular note is the excellent ‘Articles’ page, which contains a series of texts on breeding the various species and selecting certain colour mutations. In this section, we can learn about the breeding techniques for the Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis carduelis), the European Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula) and the Grey-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythaca), the Siskin (Carduelis spinus), as well as learn about the breeding of subspecies within the genus Carduelis and the family Fringillidae.

Each article is accompanied by interesting and ‘technical’ photographs, not to mention the depth of the coverage and the meticulous descriptions of habitats, diet, breeding and much more besides.

‘Reports’ is another important section of this website: Using a selection of photographs, the breeder explores some truly fascinating topics, such as the breeding of Siberian Goldfinches or the difference between a male Goldfinch with the Agate mutation and a male Goldfinch with the Agate mutation that is also a carrier of the Satin mutation.

The sections on projects and the construction of indoor and outdoor aviaries are also excellent. In the ‘plants’ section, you’ll appreciate the photos and accompanying comments on the white campion and the differences between it and the red campion (Anagallis arvensis), a very similar plant but one that is toxic to our birds.

Not to be missed is ‘A Visit to a Finch Breeding Centre’, Pierre Malburet’s incredible and enormous outdoor aviary, where Bullfinches, Siskins and Buntings breed almost as they would in the wild. Or the feature on the island of Malta. The links page, the ‘What’s New’ section, and the library (which contains ALCEDO’s publications) round off a truly interesting and useful website, where it’s a pleasure to spend a few minutes browsing.

On every page of his site, Jean-Michel spares no effort in providing updates, information, photographs, comments, his passions and emotions.

Well done, Jean-Michel – already one of our contributors – for the dedication and technical expertise you bring to our hobby.

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