Carduelidae

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European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

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European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) — European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). This member of the family Fringillidae is most common in Europe, but its geographic range extends to northern Africa and Central Asia. Populations also occur in southern Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Carduelidae

bird family

Also known as: Carduelinae

Written by Sy Montgomery

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Oct 4, 2024 • Article History

Related Topics:: crossbill; rosefinch; canary; evening grosbeak; pine grosbeak

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Carduelidae, formerly accepted name of a family of songbirds, order Passeriformes, consisting of about 112 species of gregarious, active little songbirds found in woodlands and brushlands worldwide, except in the Pacific islands. Notable members counted among this family were goldfinches and siskins (genus Carduelis), redpolls (Acanthis), rosefinches (Carpodacus), crossbills (Loxia), bullfinches (Pyrrhula), and canaries (Serinus). Today taxonomists classify these birds as part of the family Fringillidae.