Goldfinch

Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Goldfinch, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern	Green listed
Species of European Conservation Concern	Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)	Least Concern
Schedule 1 license required (to disturb)	No
Birds Directive Annex 1	No
Listed on the Annexes of	WCA(III), Bern(III)

Goldfinch abundance fell sharply from the mid 1970s until the mid 1980s, but the decline was both preceded and followed by significant population increases. The current upturn has lifted the species from the amber list of conservation concern into the green category, and has been accompanied by an increase in its use of gardens for winter feeding. The BBS map of change in relative density between 1994-96 and 2007-09 indicates that increases over that period occurred almost everywhere, with the exception of the far southeast and more recent BBS data confirm that increases have continued over the period 2008-2018 in all four countries of the UK. There has been an moderate increase across Europe since 1980 (PECBMS: PECBMS 2020a>). A strong increase has been recorded in the Republic of Ireland since 1998 (Crowe 2012).

UK breeding population

+151% increase (1995–2022)

Goldfinches are widely distributed throughout Britain & Ireland in winter, though largely absent from the interior of northwest Scotland. The breeding season is very similiar, although densities are lower in northern Britain and in upland areas.

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Occupied 10-km squares in UK

No. occupied in breeding season	2612
% occupied in breeding season	86
No. occupied in winter	2669
% occupied in winter	88

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Breeding Season Habitats

Most frequent in	Villages
Also common in	Reedbed

Relative frequency by habitat

Relative occurrence in different habitat types during the breeding season.

Goldfinch populations have increased since the early 1990s and this is reflected in 10% and 27% range expansions in Britain and Ireland respectively between 1988–91 and 2008–11. Gains in Britain are concentrated around the upland fringe in Scotland whilst gains in Ireland are a reversal of losses there between the first two breeding atlases; these fluctuations appear to be real and not an artefact of coverage.

Goldfinch is recorded throughout the year on up to 50% of complete lists.

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report

Maximum Age from Ringing	10 years 0 months 2 days (set in 2016)
Typical Lifespan	2 years with breeding typically at 1 year
Adult Survival	0.371±0.018   (Male: 0.356±0.049 Female: 0.399±0.055)
Juvenile Survival	0.337 (in first year)

Wing Length	Adults	78.3±4.9 | Range 75–82mm, N=28543
	Juveniles	78±2.3 | Range 75-82mm, N=9027
	Males	79.3±5.9 | Range 76–82mm, N=16530
	Females	76.7±1.9 | Range 74–80mm, N=10240

Body Weight	Adults	15.8±1.2 | Range 14.0–18.0g, N=22144
	Juveniles	15.6±1.2 | Range 13.7–17.8g, N=7273
	Males	16.1±1.2 | Range 14.3–18.1g, N=12823
	Females	15.3±1.2 | Range 13.6–17.3g, N=7930

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

Ring size	A
Field Codes	2-letter: GO | 5-letter code: GOLDF | Euring: 16530

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Causes of change

The population changes can be explained almost entirely by changes in annual survival rates, which may have resulted from a reduction in the availability of weed seeds, due to agricultural intensification, and subsequent increased use of other food sources such as garden bird tables and niger feeders.

Further information on causes of change

The population changes can be explained almost entirely by changes in annual survival rates, which may have resulted from a reduction in the availability of weed seeds, due to agricultural intensification, and subsequent increased use of other food sources such as garden bird tables and niger feeders; for migrants, the effects of environmental change or increased hunting pressure in France and Iberia, where the majority then wintered, may have temporarily reduced survival rates (Siriwardena et al. 1999). There have been no clear changes in productivity as measured by NRS and CES. The recent severe losses of Greenfinches from gardens and the greater variety of food offered by home owners are likely to have afforded Goldfinches far better access to provided food (Plummer et al. 2019) . A strong trend towards earlier laying may be partly explained by recent climate change (Crick & Sparks 1999).

Information about conservation actions

Goldfinch numbers have continued to increase whilst numbers of Greenfinches and Chaffinches have recently declined due to trichomonosis; hence there are currently no conservation concerns for this species and no specific conservation actions are currently required. Goldfinch has almost certainly benefited from the provision of a wider variety of bird food in gardens (Plummer et al. 2019) and this is likely to continue to support the species as long as it does not become susceptible to trichomonosis. Other conservation actions and policies aimed at improving and increasing the availability of wild seeds for farmland birds may also help Goldfinches, e.g. set-aside, buffer strips and planting wild bird seed mixtures.