Why the colourful goldfinch sometimes sings like a canary

The goldfinch has been described as our most colourful introduced bird.

Notice the head with its distinctive red, white and black colouring and the bright yellow bar on the wing. The red is more extensive in the male goldfinch and the yellow wing bars are especially noticeable when the goldfinch fly’s away with its typical undulating, bouncy flight.

These birds were introduced from Britain into New Zealand over 150 years ago.

They can now be found throughout the country in almost every habitat except in our native forests.

In the winter they often gather in large flocks sometimes numbering in the hundreds.

As the breeding season approaches they pair off and often nest in the outer branches of small trees and shrubs. The nest is built entirely by the female.

They can have two broods of up to six chicks in a season and so can multiply quite quickly.

With its colourful appearance and pleasant song the goldfinch is often kept as a household pet.

If they are kept with canaries a problem can arise.

After a time they tend to lose their natural goldfinch song and begin to sing like their canary mates.

The goldfinch will hunt for food on the ground and at all levels of vegetation. It feeds mainly on the seeds of weeds.

The seeds of thistles, chickweed, dandelion and many grasses are favourites and during the breeding season they will take small insects to feed their young.

They are very useful birds to have around the garden.

Being mainly seed eaters this question could well be asked: What is the goldfinch in today’s photograph doing on an apple?

A look at it’s beak will give the answer.

It has not actually been eating the apple, but has picked out an apple seed and is busy crushing it up.