Introduced from Europe between 1862 –83 and now common throughout New Zealand in farmland, orchards and gardens.

A small colourful finch with striking gold bars on black wings.  The adults have a brilliant red face, white ear coverts and neck, and a black crown and half-collar.  The upperparts and breast are light brown and the underparts and rump are white.  The black tail is spotted white near the tip.  The call note is a shrill ‘pee-yu’ and the male also sings a pleasant, twittering ‘tsitt-witt-witt’.

Goldfinch eat mainly weed seeds such as thistle, redroot, storksbill and meadowgrass and a variety of invertebrates such as aphids, bugs, flies, caterpillars and spiders.

They gather in large flocks in autumn and winter and then form pairs to breed from October to March.  The neat cup nest of grasses, mosses, fine twigs, wool and cobwebs is lined with thistledown.  The clutch of 2 – 6 pale bluish grey eggs with reddish brown spots and streaks is incubated by the female for 11 – 13 days.  The chicks fledge between 12 –17 days and continue to be fed by regurgitation by both parents for 2 – 3 weeks after.

Photography by: Dr Kerry Rodgers © (left) and by Max McRae © (right)

References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking.
Moon, G The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds.