Michele Mendi

Breeding distribution restricted extending across the whole of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, restricted in the North to southern Scandinavia and Finland, and absent from taigas. Nordic and Russian populations fully migratory, species present along the year elsewhere. Various subspecies reported in Europe, with subtle biometric and plumage variations. The species is moderately declining across Europe, but declining rapidly in North Africa because of illegal trapping (Khelifa et al. 2017).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		56100000-88700000,68900000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for European Goldfinch

Ringing recoveries identify three main connexions between breeding populations and wintering regions. Birds from the British Isles move to the continent in a S or SE direction, with most winter records from the Netherlands to Spain (a few in Morocco). Birds from West, Central and East Europe move to the SW, though population from northern Italy, the Balkans up to Poland and the Baltic states move either to South West or to South East Europe. Birds recovered in North Africa (mainly Morocco) originates from South West but also West Europe.

Recoveries by Condition for European Goldfinch

A vast majority of birds intentionally taken by ringers (90%), which is largely driven by a huge ringing effort in the Netherlands and British Isles. About a quarter to a third of the less numerous recoveries are of dead birds before 1990. There is an unusual large proportion of dead (shot) recoveries in North Italy. Large-scale poaching in North Africa might impact those populations wintering there, especially from West and South-West Europe.

Annual Movements for European Goldfinch

Most recoveries are at short distances, but up to > 2000 kilometres, and obtained in the 2000s. These data illustrate the short-distance migration strategy of the goldfinch, but with some regular seasonal movements at distance for some individuals / populations. Movements are mainly noted in April and October, with possible winter shifts in case of severe climate conditions. In autumn, adults migrate later than juveniles at Pyrenees passes (Arizaga et al. 2009).

Connectivity by Month by Region for European Goldfinch

Birds from Central Europe are recovered in Western Europe mainly in October, then in South-West Europe from November to January. Birds from the British Isles spread along continental Atlantic and North Sea coasts from October to April, though most stay on their side of the Chanel. Birds from Central Europe are spread from their breeding range to SW Europe from October to March, with a few late recoveries in Spain even in May. Birds of the South West and South Central and South East are mostly sedentary, though some of South-West move north to summer in West Europe.

Frédéric Jiguet

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Arizaga J, Cuadrado JF, Romero L2009 . Seasonal individual and population-associated patterns of migration of goldfinches Carduelis carduelis through the Western edge of Pyrenees. Ardeola 56: 57–69
Khelifa, R.; Zebsa, R.; Amari, H.; Mellal, M. K.; Bensouilah, S.; Laouar, A.; Mahdjoub, H.2017 . Unravelling the drastic range retraction of an emblematic songbird of North Africa: potential threats to Arfo-Palearctic migratory birds. Scientific Reports 7 article no.: 1092

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