Scientific name:
Carduelis

Natural spread:
Europe, Africa, Asia

co its notably red face and the yellow-black scrutiny on the wings is a considerable bird the goldfinch. One often held it earlier than room-bird, because it is also an eager singer. However, the shining-white Bürzel and the yellow wing-bandages get the validity fully only in the flight.

Way of life The goldfinch is all over Europe, North-Africa and with many subtypes in west and central-Asia spreads. it lives in gladly light forests or meadows, meadows and field-landscapes, that push through with trees, on that occasion is; however, it adapted himself also to the gardens, parks and vineyards. its food consists of small seeds and fruits, that aufpickt it from the ground or skillfully with the pointed beak from the fruit-stands of thistles, burs and other plants gets out. Even at flowers, it can upwards-climb the vertical stems deft. The goldfinches show a special preference for thistles so that they are called also thistle-finches. The increasing cultivation of the landscapes restricts this food-offer however strongly. The beaks of this are in both sexes of immediately colored birds somewhat longer on that occasion with the males otherwise so that they themselves reach the sought-after seeds of the Kardendistel (Dispacus), at them neither the goldfinch-females of more finches approaches. Particularly to the incubation, however, the alto-birds must pick up also many insects in order to rear its boys with it. So, a quantity of Schadinsekten is exterminated exactly to the prime of the fruit trees.

Zugverhalten The goldfinches are part-pickpockets. The birds from the most northern spread-areas either spend the winter at the place or live at this time of seeds of the foliage or conifers, or move at the southern edge of the brood-area.

Brood The nest is built in the rule of the females, sometimes, the male takes part in the material-search. The carefully built bowl out of densely together matted plant-material and webs lies rather highly in a tree. With it, performs courtship display always detains the male for itself near the Nistplatzes, spreads the wings with hanging down head and especially clearly shows its yellow wing-bandages through lateral movements.

From end of April, the female begins alone with the brood of the 5 eggs and is fed by the male on that occasion. The boys slip after 12-14 days and are nourished from both alto-birds. However even if they left the nest after approximately 2 weeks, they still are at least dependent on the parents another week.