European Goldfinch vs Rock Pigeon

Carduelis carduelis comparé à Columba livia

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut European Goldfinch Rock Pigeon
Nom scientifique Carduelis carduelis Columba livia
Ordre Passeriformes Columbiformes
Famille Fringillidae Columbidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur 13,0 cm (5.1 in) 33,0 cm (13.0 in)
Envergure 23,0 cm (9.1 in) 68,0 cm (26.8 in)
Poids 16,0 g (0.56 oz) 300,0 g (10.58 oz)
Régime alimentaire Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes … Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily …
Taille de la couvée 4-6 2
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
European Goldfinch 13,0 cm
Rock Pigeon 33,0 cm
Envergure
European Goldfinch 23,0 cm
Rock Pigeon 68,0 cm
Poids
European Goldfinch 16,0 g
Rock Pigeon 300,0 g
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

European Goldfinch only

Rock Pigeon only

Aucun(e)

European Goldfinch

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

Rock Pigeon

Originally cliff-nesting in Mediterranean regions. Now the quintessential urban bird, inhabiting cities worldwide on every continent.

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Song & Call Comparison

European Goldfinch

Chant

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.

Rock Pigeon

Chant

Soft, rhythmic cooing 'roo-c'too-coo' repeated multiple times, with emphasis on second syllable. Male courtship coo is deeper and more persistent. Wing-clapping on takeoff is loud.

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Geographic Range & Migration

European Goldfinch

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

Rock Pigeon

Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

European Goldfinch

Least Concern

Rock Pigeon

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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.

Bec

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

Rock Pigeon

Plumage

Wild-type has a blue-grey body with iridescent green and purple neck feathers, two black wing bars, and a white rump. Feral populations show enormous color variation.

Bec

Slender dark bill with a white fleshy cere at the base

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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.

Rock Pigeon

The rock pigeon is the ancestor of all domestic pigeon breeds and one of the most abundant birds in cities worldwide. Pigeons have served humans as messengers, food, and subjects for scientific research — their homing ability and vision have been studied extensively. Darwin's study of pigeon breeding contributed to his theory of evolution.

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