European Goldfinch vs Tibetan Siskin

Carduelis carduelis compared with Spinus thibetanus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute European Goldfinch Tibetan Siskin
Scientific Name Carduelis carduelis Spinus thibetanus
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae Fringillidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length 13.0 cm (5.1 in)
Wingspan 23.0 cm (9.1 in) 13.8 cm (5.4 in)
Weight 16.0 g (0.56 oz) 10.666666666666666 g (0.38 oz)
Diet Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes … --
Clutch Size 4-6 --
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
European Goldfinch 13.0 cm
Tibetan Siskin
Wingspan
European Goldfinch 23.0 cm
Tibetan Siskin 13.8 cm
Weight
European Goldfinch 16.0 g
Tibetan Siskin 10.666666666666666 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

European Goldfinch only

Tibetan Siskin only

None

European Goldfinch

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

Song & Call Comparison

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.

Tibetan Siskin

Geographic Range & Migration

European Goldfinch

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

Tibetan Siskin

Conservation Status

Least Concern

European Goldfinch

Least Concern

Tibetan Siskin

How to Tell Them Apart

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

Tibetan Siskin

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.

Related Comparisons

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family