European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis

The brightly coloured European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis - is native to Europe, North Africa and western and central Asia and has been introduced to other countries including Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay. They can be seen just about anywhere, either solo or in small flocks, looking for small seeds from Ragwort, Teasels, Dandelions etc. (notice the sharp pointy beak for getting at those seeds) and are happy in gardens preferring sunflower kernels or niger (or nyjer) seed to anything else on offer. This one is, I think, just coming into adulthood because, although it has its red face, the white marks on the wings and tail are not yet fully defined. It was seen from a nature hide at Martin Mere, Burscough, Lancashire.

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