Freddy the Goldfinch - Cropped

This chap is often scooting about the place with several of his mates, do to their skittish nature they have proven a difficult challenge for me to shoot. Thankfully today Freddy the Goldfinch was on his own on the wire and allowed me to take a photo or two before he decided it was time to dart off.

Image has been cropped to size

The European goldfinch or goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), is a small passerine bird in the finch family that is native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It has been introduced to other areas including Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay.

The goldfinch has a red face and a black-and-white head. The back and flanks are buff or chestnut brown. The black wings have a broad yellow bar. The tail is black and the rump is white. The female is very similar to the male but has a slightly smaller red area on the face.

The goldfinch is often depicted in Italian renaissance paintings of the Madonna and Child.
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