British Goldfinch - 1949 status

Carduelis carduelis britannica

Common resident and increasing.  Visits the islands chiefly out of the breeding season.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Goldfinch - 2003-07

The goldfinch is common in areas of scattered trees and hedgerows, less dense woodland and gardens. It likes to nest in evergreen trees, particularly Cypresses.  Although the species has always been common, the population is somewhat cyclic, and is currently increasing.

From the 1984-88 breeding bird survey it was suggested that the population may be in the order of 4-6,000 pairs, based on a density of 15-20 pairs per tetrad. The number of occupied tetrads increased by 35% between the two survey periods. This is consistent with an increase of 39% shown by the BBS for the period 1994-2007, and there appears no reason to believe that our county population has behaved any differently than the national trend. This would suggest an increased current population, due to both an increase in density and distribution, giving a new figure of 6-8,000 pairs.

Richard Dobbins

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 95

Orange = breeding probable = 254

Yellow = breeding possible = 48

Total tetrads in which registered = 397 (81%)

Goldfinch - 1994

Breeding resident

Mathew (1894) remarked that Goldfinches remained abundant in Pembrokeshire despite great numbers being taken in the autumn by bird-catchers. Bird- catching had largely died out by the time of Lloyd's diaries of 1927-1933, in which he detailed a summer distribution that was very similar to the current situation. Lockley et al. (1949) described them as common. They breed in all parts of Pembrokeshire where there are suitable scattered trees, but are absent from open mountain areas, deep woodland and the offshore islands. At an estimated average density of 15-20 pairs per tetrad a county total of between 4,000 and 6,000 pairs is suggested.

After the breeding season family parties gather along the roadside verges, which are now important feeding areas for finches. The County Council have a policy of not spraying the verges and they become rich with grasses and other seed bearing plants which are largely absent from the mostly weed-free fields of today's agricultural landscape.

There is a marked spring arrival from late March to early May, when they reoccupy breeding grounds that have been deserted during the winter and occur on the islands, where some continue to pass until mid-June.

Although occasional flocks are encountered during the winter it is probable that many emigrate, though we know of no ringing recoveries to confirm this. A small coastal passage has been noted between early September and November, when up to 35 a day move south while others head west towards Ireland. Goldfinches land on the offshore islands, including Grassholm, at this time.

Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 85

Orange = breeding probable = 113

Yellow = breeding possible = 96

Total tetrads in which registered = 294 (61.5%)

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Goldfinch - 1970s breeding

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Goldfinch - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Goldfinches were present in most 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 26 birds.

However, it should be noted that the figures show a high correlation with the number of recording cards returned (therefore related to recording effort) for each 10km square. 

Graham Rees 

Goldfinch - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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