Question about goldfinch behaviour (1 Viewer)

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #1

For the past month there have been two male goldfinches in and around my garden (med sized, rural, ajoining farmland) at all times of day. They are always together and there have been no recent sightings of females or juveniles. They are definately pals and I was wondering how usual or unusual this is. Are they unpaired males, just friends out without the ladies, a gay couple? Any thoughts or opinions on this anyone?

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #2

There is not much difference between males and females in European goldfinch... so how do you know both are male?

 

M

Mark Grantham

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #3

It can be quite difficult to tell the two sexes apart, even in the hand. Basically the males will have more red on the face, with the red extending noticeably behind the eye. On females, the red stops above the eye, though this can be hard to gauge. There is also a difference in the colour of the nasal hairs, but I don't think you'll see this in the field!

Mark Grantham
BTO Ringing Unit

To report ringed or colour-ringed birds, go to www.ring.ac

 

Evanji Axu

Spiteful Cynic

• Aug 2, 2006

• #4

Well if penguins can swing that way, then I don't know why goldfinches couldn't.

 

Marmot

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #5

They are probably just hanging out with each other.

Here is an article I found on the Wildfowl and Westlands Trust site recently about two of their flamingos.

Meet the Gay Flamingos at WWT Slimbridge
WWT Headquarters
13 February 2006

Two male flamingos at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge have surprised both staff and visitors by demonstrating a long-lasting loyalty to each other and excellent parental skills.

Greater Flamingos Carlos and Fernando have been together for more than five years and have reared three generations of adopted chicks. Twice a year Carlos and Fernando perform an elaborate courtship dance together before stealing eggs from their heterosexual neighbours to bring up as their own.

Nigel Jarrett, WWT Aviculture Manager explains: "Carlos and Fernando have been together now for five years and seem perfectly happy together. Both of them take on the male roles during the courtship ritual which involves preening, strutting and waving their heads vigorously from side to side with their necks at full stretch.

"Their parental instincts are also very strong prompting them to raid the nests of other couples in the flock. They have been known to fight the heterosexual birds and there is usually a ‘handbags at dawn’ moment where they will fight with another couple before stealing their egg. They are both large adult males so as a partnership they are quite formidable and are afforded more respect from the other birds. They are also very good parents and behave just as the heterosexual birds do when rearing their young."

For the first 3 or 4 weeks young flamingos are fed on crop milk a pink nutritious liquid produced by both parents so Carlos and Fernando have no problem feeding their adopted young and have so far raised three chicks.


Taken from http://www.wwt.org.uk/about/press.asp?PressID=240

 

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #6

Thanks for the replies. I am pretty sure they are both male as both are very colourful, both with lots of red.

 

Last edited: Aug 2, 2006

KnockerNorton

Well-known member

• Aug 2, 2006

• #7

Sounds like the behaviour of a pair to me, rather than a couple of males.

 

S

saddler

Well-known member

• Aug 3, 2006

• #8

Goldfinches are practically impossible to tell apart, i've got about a dozen or so visiting my window feeders and even after 6 months ive no idea which are male and female.

Im not even sure looking at pics i've taken of them, for example, what sex are the three i've attached pics of?

 

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Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Aug 4, 2006

• #9

Not much experience in sexing goldfinches, but I think the first 2 pics are probably males and the 3rd a female...

Joanne , if you can tell, please help...

 

joannec

Well-known member

• Aug 4, 2006

• #10

Thanks everyone. I guess I was mistaken in thinking I could tell the sexes apart. Only this morning I saw "my" two with two juveniles so I guess it was a pair all along.

 

N

NYSte

Member

• Aug 4, 2006

• #11

I noticed 2 Goldfinches on our bird table once which surprised me. As soon as I knew they were in the area I ordered some Niger and a feeder and within a couple of days they were back and now visit every day.

They're really cute, there's only ever 2 of them and I think it's the same 2 every time. They arrive and leave at exactly the same time. When one of them has finished eating it waits on the branch for the other to finish and then they both fly off together!

No idea whether what sex either of them is though.

 

D

Dave Titterington

New member

• Aug 7, 2006

• #12

More than likely they are unmated.
Dave Titterington
Wild Bird Habitat Store
[email protected]