RED BIRDS SEEN IN NORTH AMERICA

European Goldfinch

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Carduelis Carduelis 

Males have a brown mantle and white rump. The upperwing is black with bright yellow wing bar and white-tipped flight feathers. Tail is black with white subterminal patches on external rectrices, and white-tipped median rectrices.

The underparts are white, with buff patches on breast sides and flanks.

The face is bright red with black lores and base of the bill. The head pattern is black and white, with black head top and sides, and white cheeks, ear-coverts, nape and throat.

Eyes are dark brown. Legs and feet are pinkish.

Females are similar to males, but the red of the face does not extend behind the eyes as in males. Bill is shorter than males.

Juveniles are duller than adults and lack the face pattern. The head is grayish-white finely streaked with brown. Mantel is olive-brown streaked with dark grey. Breast sides and flanks are dull buff spotted gray.

BILL: whitish, stout, conical and pointed.

SIZE: measures about 4.7 - 5.1 inches in length, with a wingspan of 8.3 - 9.8 inches.

WEIGHT: weighs about 14 - 19 grams.

COLOR: brown, white, black, yellow, buff, and red.

Insects and seeds.

Wooded areas, orchards, parks and gardens, thickets, and close to human habitations in cities and villages.

Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Western Asia. It has been introduced in New Zealand, Argentina, Bermudas and Australia.

SONG: A pleasant silvery twittering.

CALL: A liquid twittering “ticke lit” delicate and melodious.

NEST: The female builds a compact, open cup-shaped nest with moss, rootlets, dry grasses, lichens, wool and plant down. Interior is lined with more wool, fur and feathers.

EGGS: 5 - 6 bluish eggs, spotted and streaked.

INCUBATION: 12 - 14 days, female only.

FLEDGLING PHASE: 13 - 18 days.

They cover great distances every day for feeding. It also needs to drink and bathe in the morning and at dusk. They often feed in groups on the roadsides in winter.

SOURCES: https://www.birds-of-north-america.net

                   https://en.wikipedia.org

                   http://www.oiseaux-birds.com