European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
The average European goldfinch is 12–13 cm (4.7–5.1 in) long, has a wingspan of 21–25 cm (8.3–9.8 in) and weighs 14 to 19 g (0.49 to 0.67 oz). There is little difference between the sexes, both having a red face, black and white head, warm brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. Male European goldfinches can often be distinguished on close inspection by the larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. Their shoulder feathers are black, whereas those of the female are brown.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Grey-crowned Goldfinch
Carduelis caniceps
The grey-crowned goldfinch is 10.5–14 cm (4.1–5.5 in) long with a wingspan of 21.5–25.5 cm (8.5–10.0 in). They weigh about 15–21 g (0.53–0.74 oz). The male has a brighter and more extensive red on the face and brighter yellow on the wing than the female, which appears to be the only notable difference between the sexes. Both sexes have a pinkish bill. The juvenile lacks the red in the face, has faint streaking on breast and has buffish tips to coverts and tertial markings. The juvenile has duller and darker legs compared to the adult's pink to dull brown legs. Voice: The song of the grey-crowned goldfinch is a rather chaffinch-like combination, with a long mix of pleasant bubbling and twittering, though it lacks the "tinkling" notes of the European goldfinch. Its calls include twittering "deedelit" and "chirik", which do have a similar tinkling sound.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: European Goldfinch and Grey-crowned Goldfinch.