Chaffinches and Goldfinches might both be from the finch family but they look quite different.
In this video, you can see for yourself, with the birds eating side by side.
Both species have black spotted with white on their wing edges but this is where the similarities end.
The Chaffinch, on the left, has pinky-brown feathers covering most of its body. Their head, nape and shoulders are grey.
The Goldfinch, on the right, has red on the face as well as a yellow bar on its black & white fletched wings. Against the faun and white of the body, these strong splashes of colour make the Goldfinch the showier of the two.
Young and females of both species look different too.
Female chaffinches lack the grey head & neck and pinky-brown body. Their colouring is paler, more faun but they too have the black bars on their wings. Chicks resemble the females to begin with.
Goldfinch males and females show little differences in appearance. The chicks have the faun colour all over, except for the black, white and yellow on their wings.
It is only when the youngsters fledge that they gain the characteristic red, white and black on their head and neck.
- YouTube