Photo: Pierre Dalous / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 16 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Carduelis
- Species carduelis
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical western, central Palearctic in woods, scrub and gardens: British Isles, southern Scandinavia east through central, southern European Russia and northwestern Kazakhstan; in south to Iberian Pen., Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, west of northern Africa), Morocco to northern Egypt (northern Africa), Mediterranean, Turkey, Israel, northern Iran.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Goldfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The European Goldfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate to subtropical w, c Palearctic in woods, scrub and gardens: British Isles, s Scandinavia e through c, s European Russia and nw Kazakhstan; in s to Iberian Pen., Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, w of n Africa), Morocco to n Egypt (n Africa), Mediterranean, Turkey, Israel, n Iran.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Goldfinch?
The European Goldfinch is a small bird that weighs around 16 g.
Where does the European Goldfinch live?
The European Goldfinch is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate to subtropical w, c Palearctic in woods, scrub and gardens: British Isles, s Scandinavia e through c, s European Russia and nw Kazakhstan; in s to Iberian Pen., Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, w of n Africa), Morocco to n Egypt (n Africa), Mediterranean, Turkey, Israel, n Iran, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Goldfinch belong to?
The European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the European Goldfinch eat?
The European Goldfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the European Goldfinch migrate?
The European Goldfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the European Goldfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Goldfinch make?
1 real field recording of the European Goldfinch — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Goldfinch's range?
The European Goldfinch has a mapped global range of about 11.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.