European Goldfinch vs Northern Gannet
Carduelis carduelis compared with Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Goldfinch | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Carduelis carduelis | Morus bassanus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Fringillidae | Sulidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 13.0 cm (5.1 in) | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Weight | 16.0 g (0.56 oz) | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes … | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
European Goldfinch only
Northern Gannet only
None
European Goldfinch
Open woodland, orchards, gardens, parks, and weedy fields with seed-bearing plants. Common at garden bird feeders.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Song & Call Comparison
European Goldfinch
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.
Northern Gannet
Loud, harsh 'urrah-urrah' grunting and croaking at breeding colonies on sea stacks. Also gives a softer 'karrr' in flight. Large colonies are extremely noisy during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Goldfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Conservation Status
European Goldfinch
Northern Gannet
How to Tell Them Apart
European Goldfinch
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.
Slender, pointed, ivory-pink bill adapted for extracting seeds from thistles
Northern Gannet
Brilliant white body with black wingtips and a golden-yellow wash on the head and nape. Blue-grey bill with dark lines and pale blue eye-ring.
Long, straight, pointed, pale blue-grey bill with serrated edges
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.
Northern Gannet
The northern gannet is a spectacular plunge-diver, folding its two-meter wingspan into an arrow shape to hit the water at up to 100 km/h. Air sacs under the skin and a reinforced skull protect it from the impact. Bass Rock in Scotland hosts over 150,000 gannets, the largest single colony of any seabird in the world.