European Goldfinch; Jilguero

The goldfinch is 12–13 cm long with a wingspan of 21–25 cm. Both sexes are very similar, with a red face, black and white head, brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. Male Goldfinches can be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, the red face does not reach the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed, and the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition have a white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of the year. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe.