The birds of Gard: the European goldfinch, this nester with an unparalleled song

Le chardonneret élégant porte bien son nom. Cogard – Morgane Marcellin

Every Wednesday and Sunday during the summer, in partnership with the Gard Ornithological Center, we set off to discover the birds that inhabit our regions.

The Elegant Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelisin Latin, Cardonilha in Occitan, is a bird the size of a sparrow present all year round in the Gard. Impossible to confuse it with another species, its red mask is like no other. Its plumage is buff brown, black and yellow. It is therefore a discreetly colored bird that is essentially granivorous, it particularly delights in thistles, hence its name.

Listen to the bird's song! .

It readily comes to feeders and appreciates sunflower seeds. It is seen in winter, often in flocks of up to several hundred individuals, mixed with other finches (finches, canaries, greenfinches and other seed lovers), in grounds rich in varied grasses. The couples isolate themselves during the breeding period which can include two to three broods per year.

Two to three broods per year

The cozy nest can be quite high in the trees, up to 10 m high. It is carefully made: soft materials inside the cup to accommodate 4 or 5 eggs. They will be incubated for about fifteen days by the female alone, the male providing for her food needs. Both parents feed the young in the nest for the same amount of time.

A species classified as vulnerable

Formerly considered common, it is now a species in sharp decline in France with a loss of 30% of its numbers in 20 years. It is therefore classified as “Vulnerable” on the red list of breeding birds in France. The use of chemical inputs and the disappearance of hedges are partly responsible. Its song still attracts the covetousness of traffickers punished by the courts, including in the Gard.

Centre ornithologique du Gard (CO Gard), 56 avenue René Pasquier 30190 Saint-Chaptes. 04 66 06 83 36. www.cogard.org.