Goldfinch

Goldfinch (Carduelis elegans), a common European and British finch, valued as a cage-bird for its fine plumage and sweet song. The male, about 5 inches long, has the back and rump dusky brown, mixed with black, the greater wing-coverts gamboge yellow, the nape white, top of the head black, and a crimson patch at the base of the bill. They are generally found in small flocks, and produce two broods in a year. The young are fed on insects, but the old birds are chiefly seed-eaters.