Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Carduelis
Species: carduelis
Sub-species: parva

Description
The Goldfinch, a Macaronésia subspecies, is easily identifiable by its bright, varied colours. The heads of the adult males and females are red, white and black in colour. Their bodies are brownish, the tail is black and the wings are black with a yellow wing-bar. Juveniles are differentiated by their light brown plumage and they have small dark speckles on their chests.

Distribution
This bird can be found from the sea-shore up to the high ground on both Madeira and Porto Santo islands. It is common to see mixed flocks of Goldfinches and Canaries.

Habitat
Goldfinches are found in several types of habitat, including cultivated areas, areas with creeping vegetation, patches of exotic or indigenous forest and the outskirts of human settlements.

Breeding
The nesting pair builds the nest using vegetation in trees together but it is the female who looks after the hatching of the eggs (four to six eggs per hatching; two hatchings per season) on her own between May and August. The eggs hatch two weeks after being laid and the young birds leave the nest two to three weeks later.

Madeiran name: Pintassilgo
Madeira and Porto Santo Islands resident breeder
Social: Flocks
Length: 12 – 13 cm
Status: Secure