Goldfinch (redirected from goldfinches)

goldfinch: see finch.

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goldfinch

Any of several species (genus Carduelis, family Carduelidae) of songbirds that have a short, notched tail and much yellow in the plumage. All have a bill that is more delicate and sharply pointed than that of most finches. They live in flocks, feeding on weeds in fields and gardens. They have high, lisping calls. Various species live in western Eurasia and North and South America and have been introduced into New Zealand and Australia. They are typically 4–5.5 in. (10–14 cm) long. The male of the American goldfinch (or wild canary), found across North America, is bright yellow, with black cap, wings, and tail.

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goldfinch

1. a common European finch, Carduelis carduelis, the adult of which has a red-and-white face and yellow-and-black wings

2. any of several North American finches of the genus Spinus, esp the yellow-and-black species S. tristis

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Goldfinch 

(Carduelis carduelis), a bird of the family Fringillidae of the order Passeriformes. The body length is 12 cm. The wings are black with a yellow stripe, and the crown is black or gray. There is a red ring around the beak. The goldfinch occurs in Europe, Western Asia, and Northwest Africa. In the USSR it is found from the western border east to the Enisei River. The goldfinch settles in deciduous groves, felled areas, and gardens. It nests in shrubs or trees. A clutch contains four to six eggs, which are incubated for 12 or 13 days by the female. The bird feeds on seeds of broad bean sorrel, burdock, thistle, and other weeds. The nestlings are fed insects. Goldfinches are frequently kept as pets.