Monday 24 January 2011

Pair of goldfinches



It was sheer delight to watch this pair of goldfinches on the niger seed feeder this morning. I have no idea how many there are in this area, but I hope this pair will breed successfully this year. They are such beautifully marked birds, with the soft focus chestnut breast and sharp black, white and yellow wing and tail markings, plus that distinctive splash of red on the head. Unlike many species of birds, male and female goldfinches look very similar and the best way of telling them apart is to look at that red patch. In the male, it extends further behind the eye, so I think in these photos the male is on the right.

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