Foods and feeding habits of the European Goldfinch near Melbourne

Abstract

Since its introduction to Australia the European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis has spread throughout much of the temperate south-eastern part of the continent,. where it is now well established. As part of a study of its biology in Australia its foods and feeding habits were examined. During the non-breeding season feeding was carried out in flocks. FIock-feeding is described. The food analysis was based upon the examination of 240 gut contents from birds collected near Melbourne, by observation in the field, and from the answers to a questionnaire. A total of 33 plant items was identified as foods of the Goldfinch, along with 10 insect items. With one exception, Juncus sp., the identified plants were exotics with 19 of them belonging to the family Compositae. The insects were members of cosmopolitan families. The results of this study, when compared with information from Europe, suggest that the feeding habits and the foods of the Goldfinch in Australia are essentially the same as in Europe.