Scarlet Finch vs European Goldfinch

Carpodacus sipahi compared with Carduelis carduelis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Scarlet Finch European Goldfinch
Scientific Name Carpodacus sipahi Carduelis carduelis
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae Fringillidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — 13.0 cm (5.1 in)
Wingspan 20.1 cm (7.9 in) 23.0 cm (9.1 in)
Weight 39.5 g (1.39 oz) 16.0 g (0.56 oz)
Diet -- Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes …
Clutch Size 4 4-6
Population Trend — —

Size Comparison

Body Length
Scarlet Finch —
European Goldfinch 13.0 cm
Wingspan
Scarlet Finch 20.1 cm
European Goldfinch 23.0 cm
Weight
Scarlet Finch 39.5 g
European Goldfinch 16.0 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Scarlet Finch only

None

European Goldfinch only

European Goldfinch

Open woodland, orchards, gardens, parks, and weedy fields with seed-bearing plants. Common at garden bird feeders.

Song & Call Comparison

Scarlet Finch

European Goldfinch

Song

A liquid, tinkling 'swit-swit-swit' in flight and a melodic twittering song. Flocks produce a bright jingling chorus. Male song is a sweet repetitive warble incorporating the flight call.

Geographic Range & Migration

Scarlet Finch

European Goldfinch

Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Scarlet Finch

Least Concern

European Goldfinch

How to Tell Them Apart

Scarlet Finch

European Goldfinch

Plumage

Crimson red face with white cheeks and a black crown. Sandy-brown back with a bright yellow wing bar visible in flight. Black and white tail.

Bill

Slender, pointed, ivory-pink bill adapted for extracting seeds from thistles

About These Birds

European Goldfinch

The European goldfinch is a strikingly beautiful finch whose tinkling song and colorful plumage have made it popular in art and as a caged bird for centuries. It appears frequently in Renaissance paintings as a symbol of the Passion of Christ. Flocks of goldfinches are charmingly called a charm.

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