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Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758)
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Ena Simic (Ena)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 359 W: 61 N: 568]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (2327) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-10-27 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Exposure: f/4, 1/500 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-11-08 4:28 |
| Viewed: 859 |
| Points: 26 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
This one was also taken in the ringing camp!
Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758)
The Goldfinch or European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a small passerine bird in the finch family.
Range
It breeds across Europe, north Africa, and western and central Asia, in open, partially wooded lowlands. It is resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world (Snow and Perrins 1998).
Appearance
The average Goldfinch is 12-13 cm long with a wingspan of 21-25 cm and a weight of 14 to 19 grams. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, the red face does not reach the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed, and the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition have a white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of the year. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe. Birds in central Asia (caniceps group) have a plain grey head behind the red face, lacking the black and white head pattern of European and western Asian birds.
Taxonomy
The species is divided into two major groups, each comprising several races. The two groups intergrade at their boundary, so the caniceps group is not recognised as a distinct species despite its readily distinguishable plumage.
Carduelis carduelis carduelis group.
Carduelis carduelis balcanica. Southeastern Europe.
Carduelis carduelis brevirostris. Crimea, north Caucasus.
Carduelis carduelis britannica. British Isles.
Carduelis carduelis carduelis. Most of European mainland, Scandinavia.
Carduelis carduelis loudoni. South Caucasus, Iran.
Carduelis carduelis major. Western Siberia.
Carduelis carduelis niediecki. Southwest Asia, northeast Africa.
Carduelis carduelis parva. Atlantic Islands, Iberia, northwest Africa.
Carduelis carduelis tschusii. Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily.
Carduelis carduelis caniceps group.
Carduelis carduelis caniceps. Southern central Asia.
Carduelis carduelis paropanisi. Afghanistan to western Himalaya and Tien Shan.
Carduelis carduelis subulata. South-central Siberia.
Linnaeus classified the bird as Fringilla carduelis
Behaviour
The food is small seeds such as thistles (the Latin name is from carduus, thistle) and teasels, but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularly visits bird feeders in winter. They nest in the outer twigs of tall leafy trees, laying four to six eggs which hatch in 11-14 days.
In the winter they group together to form flocks of up to about 40 birds, occasionally more.
The song is a pleasant silvery twittering. The call is a melodic tickeLIT, and the song is a pleasant tinkling medley of trills and twitters, but always including the trisyllabic call phrase or a teLLIT-teLLIT-teLLIT.
In earlier times, the Goldfinch was kept as a cagebird for its song. Escapes from captivity and deliberate releases have colonised southeastern Australia and New Zealand.
Goldfinches in captivity
Goldfinches are commonly kept and bred in captivity around the world because of their distinctive appearance and pleasant song. The Goldfinch males are commonly crossed with Canary females with the intention to produce male mules with beautiful singing voices, that often capture the best singing attributes of both breeds.
European Goldfinches in religion
Because of the thistle seeds it eats, in Christian symbolism the goldfinch is associated with the Passion and Christ's Crown of Thorns. The goldfinch, appearing in pictures of the Madonna and the Christ Child, represents the foreknowledge Jesus and Mary had of the Crucifixion. In Barocci's Holy Family a goldfinch is held in the hand of John the Baptist who holds it high out of reach of an interested cat. In Cima da Conegliano's Madonna and Child, a goldfinch flutters in the hand of the Christ Child. It is also an emblem of endurance, fruitfulness, and persistence. Because it symbolizes the Passion, the goldfinch is considered a "saviour" bird and may be pictured with the common fly (which represents the sin and disease from which Christians believe Christ saved them). During medieval times, this bird was used by some as a charm to ward off the plague.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Carduelis
Species: C. carduelis
Wikipedia |
vihang8846, thor68, Alex99, dejo, Alma, oscarromulus, mesquens, EOSF1 has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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| Discussions |
| Thread | Thread Starter |
Messages |
Updated |
| To juhi: Grdelin | Ena |
1 |
12-26 14:50 |
| You must be logged in to start a discussion. |
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hello Ena
beautiful snap!!
the bird looks very lively because of catchlight in its eyes..
excellent colors and composition.
regards
vihang
- lousat
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 925 W: 5 N: 2428]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(9111) - [2007-11-08 5:05]
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very very nice shot,i like the bird and the colours of ground too,best whishes,Luciano
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- thor68
(4577)
- [2007-11-08 5:08]
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another wonderful "catch"! :-) such a pretty goldfinch, just got his ring. good sharpness and wonderful colors.
the only thing is when you already have a helping hand on the photo try to get it without a car or a house in the background,
one small step in one direction can do wonders. well done & best wishes, thor.
hello ena,
lovely capture, nice colours,excellent details of the plumage, the twinkle in the eyes look great,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj
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- Alex99
(14369)
- [2007-11-08 9:18]
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Hi Ena.
I see, that the goldfinch is not so happy with its position. Quality of the shot is great. Especially I like DOF and nice BG. However I prefer nature scene and nature photos. My best wishes.
Alexei.
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- dejo
(2048)
- [2007-11-08 16:49]
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Vrlo dobro uhvaceno! vrlo lijepe boje i detalji
Auto je fakat visak :)
Ciao :):)
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- Alma
![Silver Star Critiquer [C: 13 W: 0 N: 1]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-n.gif)
(8) - [2007-11-13 5:07]
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Bellissimo uccello! Canta anche molto bene!
Complimenti
Alma
Ena,
A lovely, LOVELY photo.
Loved your notes too.
Had one of these when I lived in the Algarve, Portugal. They sing BEAUTIFULLY.
Best regards from COLD COLD Canada from,
Mario.
Very good shot Ena.
TFS
Raimundo
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- arfer
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
(0) - [2007-11-20 6:53]
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Hello Ena
A lovely close up of this finch.
They say that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
Well focused with sharp details
The lighting and colours are very good.
TFS
Rob
Rob
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- EOSF1
(20421)
- [2007-11-25 8:27]
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Hello Ena, another incredible shot ! They look very cool, not excited a bit ! Great sharpness and exposure ! Well done, good note too. Thanks.
Mario
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- Mana
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 24 N: 4885]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(15930) - [2007-12-20 9:08]
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Hi Ena,
Just marking this wonderful post for the moment, lest I miss it, and will come back with a proper critique later.
Regards.
Sumon
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- sily
(1859)
- [2008-01-31 11:32]
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Savrsen fokus i opsiran opis, sve pod konac.
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 18 W: 0 N: 22]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif)
(283)
Prekrasan primjerak grdelina. Vidin da je prstenovan, je li to kucni uzgoj ili je divljak uhvacen radi evidencije.
Fotografija je u globalu dobra. Smeta ona pozadina sa autom. Moj savjet za drugi put je da podigneš ruku sa pticom uvise kako bi ti nebo bilo poadina.