Behaviour and ecology

Agile and acrobatic when seeking seeds, goldfinches often hang upside down from seed heads, and flutter from plant to plant. Although they often allow a close approach when feeding, goldfinches generally show little interest in bird food tables, and so are less familiar than house sparrows, silvereyes and chaffinches. Outside the breeding season, goldfinches often occur in mixed flocks with other finches and yellowhammers. Goldfinches specialise in seeking the tiny winged seeds of thistles, and so often occur in single-species groups among a larger flock. Goldfinches have quick, short life-cycles, potentially producing ten or more young per season, and breeding at one-year-old. They are not considered migratory, but there is probably altitudinal movement in response to food availability. Reports of small flocks crossing Cook Strait have yet to be confirmed by band recoveries. Full song is mainly given October-March