| Common Name | European Goldfinch |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Carduelis carduelis |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 04/15/2020 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Marianne Walsh |
| Mailing Address | 151 East Camp Hill Rd Weathersfield, VT 05156-9629 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 04/16/2020 |
| Names & Emails of Other Contributing Observers | Michael Walsh () |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 43°21'25.0"N |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 72°27'04.9"W |
| Place Name | 151 East Camp Hill Rd |
| Township | Weathersfield |
| County | Windsor |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 12:55 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 30 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 12 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 6 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Fair weather. 46 degrees F |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | None needed. First pictures with iPad. Subsequent pictures with Nikon CoolPix P900. |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | We have seen this species several times in Europe. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Feeder with black oil sunflower seeds hanging outside our dining room window. Dwarf lilac bush provides perches for birds. American Goldfinches were taking turns feeding at the feeder. |
| Behaviors Observed | Perching in bush and eating seeds at the feeder. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | We were eating lunch and casually watching birds come to the feeder. American Goldfinches dominate the feeder with intermittent visits by Black-capped Chickadees and occasional Purple Finches. Dark-eyed Juncos and Song Sparrows feed under the feeder. The red face of the European Goldfinch caught our attention, and we immediately went to get an iPad and a camera to capture some images of the bird. The bird visited the same feeder intermittently for about 30 minutes. Michael subsequently observed it briefly in a bush next to a feeder on the other side of our house. We have not seen it since. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Similar size (maybe slightly larger) and shape to American Goldfinch. |
| Head | Black crown, red face, white cheeks, white throat, black nape |
| Feet & Bill | Finch-like bill, pink in color. We didn't really look at the feet. |
| Upper Back | Olive-brown color. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Pale rump. |
| Wings | Prominent yellow on mostly black wing. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Brownish vest, pale belly and flanks. Could not see under tail coverts. |
| Tail | Slight fork, approximately 1/4th of the length of the bird, mostly black |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Unmistakable. No native birds have a red face on a black and white head with bright yellow on black wings. |
| Other Notes & Comments | Adult. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
Vermont Atlas of Life Partners
