Common Linnet vs European Goldfinch

Common Linnet

Linaria cannabina

How to recognise a common linnet?

General appearance

The common linnet, a small passerine bird, has a delicate bill and slender body. Its plumage is mainly brown, its belly white, and it has a distinctive red forehead and chest. It sports black streaks on its upper parts and wings, and a black tail with white edges. The linnet’s size ranges between 11-14cm, and weight around 15-20g.

Male vs female

Male commons linnets are more colorful, featuring a brighter red patch on their chest and forehead, especially during mating season. The female’s contrast is less striking, almost brown with paler underparts. Males also have a slightly more pronounced song, featuring faster notes and chirruping sounds.

Juvenile

Juvenile linnets are similar to females but lack the red chest and forehead. They display a buff tone on their upper parts, streaked with black, and have a plain underbody. Once they reach adulthood, males exhibit the red patches that distinguish the species.

Size

5.1 - 5.5 in/0.5 - 0.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The common linnet typically inhabits open areas such as heathland, farmland, and gardens. Preferring mild climates, it dwells across Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.

Additional range

Unexpectedly, the linnet can also be found in urban environments, utilizing parks and green spaces. They occasionally visit bird feeding stations, particularly in winter.

Range Map

What do common linnets like to eat?

Natural diet

The common linnet primarily feeds on a variety of seeds, including those from dandelions, chickweed, and grasses. During the breeding season, they supplement their diet with small insects, particularly aphids, to provide additional protein for their young.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, common linnets are known to consume small seeds such as millet and linseed. They are less frequently seen than other common garden birds but are attracted to a mix of seeds typically available in general birdseed blends.

What does a common linnet sound like?

The common linnet's vocalizations are melodious, pleasant, and filled with twitters, warbles, and trills. Songs are extended and complex, often described as a medley of rapid notes ending in a long, drawn whistle. Calls are simpler, typically sweet, metallic pitched "tink" or "tink-tink". Males might incorporate mimicry into their songs. The bird often vocalizes on the wing, during flight.

Call

Audio by Bram Piot

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song

Audio by Nefronus

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Also known as: Goldfinch

How to recognise a European goldfinch?

General appearance

The European Goldfinch is a small bird with a striking coloration. It has a red face and a black and white head. The back is brown, and the wings are black with brilliant yellow bars. The belly is white, and the beak is long, sharp and suited for seed extraction.

Male vs female

Both sexes of European Goldfinches have similar plumage, making them challenging to tell apart merely by looking. Both genders sport red faces, black and white heads, bright yellow wing bars, and white bellies. However, males may have slightly wider red faces.

Juvenile

Juvenile European Goldfinches do not have the adult's distinctive red, black and white head pattern. Instead, they have a more uniform grey-brown head and body coloration. Their wings, however, do feature the vivid yellow bar, giving a hint to their adult plumage.

Size

4.1 - 5.3 in/0.5 - 0.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

European goldfinches prefer open, partially wooded lowlands, agricultural lands, and gardens across Europe, North Africa, and western Asia.

Additional range

They adapt to urban parks and high-altitude regions, surviving in mild climates and unexpectedly thriving in suburban areas.

Range Map

What do European goldfinches like to eat?

Natural diet

The European goldfinch primarily feeds on small seeds from plants such as thistles, teasels, and dandelions. It also consumes various grasses and grains. During the breeding season, it may eat insects to provide additional protein.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, European goldfinches commonly enjoy sunflower hearts, nyjer (thistle) seeds, and millet. They are attracted to feeders that offer these seeds in a fine mesh or tube-style design.

What does a European goldfinch sound like?

The European Goldfinch's vocalizations are melodic and pleasant, showing a variety of twitters, trills, and warbles in their song. It incorporates imitated sounds from other bird species. Their typical call, often made in flight, is a melodious “tickeLIT”, with a distinctive sweet and sharp quality. They also emit a softer "chup chup" while feeding or perching. Its song is a delightful mix of whistles, trills, and warbles, performed in a fluid and unchanged sequence.

Song

Audio by Aubrey John Williams

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

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Common Linnet

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European Goldfinch

Common Linnet

Linaria cannabina

General appearance

The common linnet, a small passerine bird, has a delicate bill and slender body. Its plumage is mainly brown, its belly white, and it has a distinctive red forehead and chest. It sports black streaks on its upper parts and wings, and a black tail with white edges. The linnet’s size ranges between 11-14cm, and weight around 15-20g.

Male vs female

Male commons linnets are more colorful, featuring a brighter red patch on their chest and forehead, especially during mating season. The female’s contrast is less striking, almost brown with paler underparts. Males also have a slightly more pronounced song, featuring faster notes and chirruping sounds.

Juvenile

Juvenile linnets are similar to females but lack the red chest and forehead. They display a buff tone on their upper parts, streaked with black, and have a plain underbody. Once they reach adulthood, males exhibit the red patches that distinguish the species.

Size

5.1 - 5.5 in/0.5 - 0.8 oz

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European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Also known as: Goldfinch

General appearance

The European Goldfinch is a small bird with a striking coloration. It has a red face and a black and white head. The back is brown, and the wings are black with brilliant yellow bars. The belly is white, and the beak is long, sharp and suited for seed extraction.

Male vs female

Both sexes of European Goldfinches have similar plumage, making them challenging to tell apart merely by looking. Both genders sport red faces, black and white heads, bright yellow wing bars, and white bellies. However, males may have slightly wider red faces.

Juvenile

Juvenile European Goldfinches do not have the adult's distinctive red, black and white head pattern. Instead, they have a more uniform grey-brown head and body coloration. Their wings, however, do feature the vivid yellow bar, giving a hint to their adult plumage.

Size

4.1 - 5.3 in/0.5 - 0.8 oz

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How to tell the Common Linnet from the European Goldfinch

Visual differences

The Common Linnet (4.3-5.5 inches, 0.5-0.7 oz) has a slender build, brown plumage with black streaks, and distinctive red forehead and chest. Its beak is delicate. The European Goldfinch (4.1-5.3 inches, 0.5-0.8 oz) boasts a striking look with a red face, black and white head, and vivid yellow wing bars. Both sexes appear similar, featuring a thicker bill suited for seed extraction. In comparison, the Goldfinch's colorful patterns and bright contrasts are more vivid than the linnet's subtler tones.

Key differences and behavior

The Common Linnet and European Goldfinch exhibit unique behaviors and habitats. Both are small, social finches fond of seeds and partial to human environments. While Linnets frequent open fields and urban parks, Goldfinches prefer semi-wooded areas and gardens. During breeding, Linnet males perform elaborate aerial displays and sing to attract mates, constructing nests in hedges and shrubs. Similarly, Goldfinch males engage in vibrant courtship, offering food and favoring trees and tall shrubs for nesting. Both species lay 4-6 eggs, sharing chick-rearing duties. Linnets lean towards flax and hemp seeds, while Goldfinches favor thistles and teasels, also visiting feeders for millet and sunflower seeds. Linnets weigh about 0.5–0.7 oz and measure 5–5.5 inches long, while Goldfinches weigh around 0.5–0.8 oz and are 4–5.3 inches long. Both supplement diets with insects during breeding, but differences in dietary preferences help distinguish them in field observations.