The Goldfinch is also known as the European Goldfinch and is a member of the Finch family. It used to be a common cage bird in the nineteenth century because of its beautiful colours and sweet melodious songs. Nowadays it can be seen flying around in gardens taking food from bird feeders and also in orchards, parks and on the edges of woodlands.

The Goldfinch is a small colourful bird with a large head and quite a thin, pale coloured beak. It has a bright red face, white cheeks and a black crown. It also has black patches between its eyes and beak. Its wings have a bright yellow stripe between two black stripes and its body is a sandy brown colour. It has a white belly.

Goldfinches can often be seen feeding with other finches on roadside edges where there are low-growing plants or where there are scattered bushes and trees. They prefer to feed near or on the ground where they use their long thin beaks to take seeds from thistles, dandelions and ragworts. Sometimes they take seeds from garden plants such as asters, pansies and forget-me-nots. In summer they eat insects too.