Ecological and economic impacts
Goldfinches mainly eat the seeds of introduced weeds, especially thistles. Apart from pecking seeds from uncovered strawberries, they are generally considered neutral or beneficial to the rural economy. They have no recognised impacts on native species. Note that New Zealand has no native finch species. Kakariki parakeets are the only native birds that regularly eat small seeds (other than those encased in fruit); kakariki are now mainly found in forest habitats, where few finches occur
