Birder's Space does Goldfinches...

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

I was reading British Birds this morning* and noticed Andy Stoddart's subspecies article. Andy was extolling the birding virtues of noting subspecies - not just as potential ticks, but also because it's rewarding and that.

Obviously, I've been telling Jonny H and DDL about sub-species for years. The eagle-eared? Bat-eared? Owl-eared? Whatever. Those of you that have suffered Birder's Twitter may recall me mentioning seeing different looking Goldfinch on the Iberian Peninsula back in February?

Well, if you don't - that's on you. Pay more attention. Maybe be a better person? Consider charity work or even rehab?

The different Goldfinch are probably races as opposed to true sub-species? But who knows? Not me. Anyway, my man Simon of Inglorious Bustards shared the below information, no idea where from, but it looks authoritative:

Our, filthy dirty Goldfinch are: Carduelis carduelis britannica:

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Systematics History

Acanthis carduelis britannica E. J. O. Hartert, 1903, Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna, Band 1, p. 68.—Rottingdean, Sussex, England. (34).The holotype, an adult male collected in April 1902 for Brazenor, Naturalists, of Brighton, is held at the Natural History Museum, Tring (NHMUK 1936.10.15.14) (35). Hartert (34) mentioned that he had 66 specimens of his new subspecies, of which another 32, all collected in Sussex and for Brazenor, between December 1888 and April 1902 are paratypes: AMNH 710231–710235, 710237–710260, and 710264–710266 (36).Synonymized under the nominate subspecies by Shirihai and Svensson (4).

Distribution

Breeds in the British Isles (including the Channel Islands) and northwest France east to western Netherlands; non-breeding also reaches southwest Europe and Morocco (37, 38, 39). Vaurie (28) restricted this subspecies to the British Isles and Channel Islands.

Identification Summary

Slightly smaller than the nominate subspecies and darker, generally less cinnamon, on the mantle, back, and sides of breast, ear-coverts browner, and underparts duller white.

Whereas the beautiful, sangria swilling, Iberian ones are: Carduelis carduelis parva:

Carduelis carduelis parva - Barbate - 29th January

Systematics History

Carduelis carduelis parva von Tschusi, 1901, Ornithologische Monatsberichte 9:131.—Machico, Madeira.This name was based on two adult specimens, a male collected on 7 June 1898 and a female taken on 25 April 1898, both apparently taken by Father Ernst Schmitz, and both of which are held in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NMW 42.213 and NMW 61.841, respectively) (H.-M. Berg in litt. to G. M. Kirwan, June 2022). The collections assembled by Viktor Ritter von Tschusi zu Schmidhoffen are held in at least the following museums—Graz, Munich, Rome, Salzburg, and Wien (47). Specimens of his are also held in the Natural History Museum, Tring, presumably due to exchanges (G. M. Kirwan pers. obs.).

Synonyms:

Acanthis carduelis africanus E. J. O. Hartert, 1903, Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna, Band 1, p. 69.—Mhoiwla, near Mazagan [33°15′N, 08°30′W], Morocco. In the original description, Hartert (34) said that he had 17 specimens collected by Riggenbach and himself in Morocco, five from Tunis, one from Aguilas, Spain, and others from Algiers. The holotype, an adult male collected on 1 February 1902 by F. W. Riggenbach (fl. 1902‒1909), is held at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH 710336), and the same museum also holds the following paratypes: Mhoiwla, AMNH 710337–710341, five males, February and May 1902, taken by Riggenbach, AMNH 710345, female, 8 April 1901, by Ernst Hartert; Tunis, AMNH 710391, sex?, 19 April 1858, from the Jardine Collection, and Spain, Alguilas, AMNH 710326, male, 3 February 1898, Gray Collection (36).Carduelis carduelis weigoldi Reichenow, 1913, Ornithologische Monatsberichte 21:141.—Cascais, Favaios, and Povoa, Portugal. This name is based on at least three syntypes, all collected by Hugo Weigold and held at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, of which one an unsexed individual (from Cascais), collected on 27 March 1913, is ZMB 2004.4 (P. Eckhoff in litt. to G. M. Kirwan, May 2022).Carduelis carduelis propeparva von Jordans, 1923, Falco 19, Sonderheft, p. 4.—Valldemosa, Mallorca. Described on the basis of a large series of 44 specimens, but in the original description only a holotype was designated—a male collected by Adolf von Jordans (1892‒1974) on 3 May 1921 and held at the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn (ZFMK I.II.14.a8.σ) (45, 46). Paralectotypes were designated by Rheinwald and van den Elzen (45) based upon specimens in Bonn (ZFMK I.II.14.a8.α–δ, ζ–χ, ο, π, τ–ω, αα and ββ; ten males and ten females) collected at the localities of Valldemosa, Lluch, Esporlas, Santany, Alcudia, Cap de Pinar, Albufera, and Palma, between March and May 1913 and March and May 1921, also by von Jordans; and five specimens exchanged with the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and Noël Mayaud (1899‒1989) (see also 46).

Distribution

Madeira and Canary Islands, southern France, Iberia, Balearic Islands, and a non-breeding visitor from Morocco east to northern Libya (38). This subspecies is believed to be that introduced to the Cape Verde Islands (4).

Identification Summary

Has a shorter bill, wings, and tail than the nominate subspecies, also paler or grayer, and usually has less warm brown upperparts. Shirihai and Svensson (4) regarded this as a very subtle subspecies, and further noted that birds in Libya appear intermediate between parva and niediecki, being closer to the latter (similarly large) and therefore best included therein. Measurements: wing length of male 71‒80 mm (mean 76.5 mm, n = 49), wing length of female 72‒79 mm (mean 73.8 mm, n = 26); tail length of male 42‒51 mm (mean 47.4 mm, n = 48), tail length of female 43‒48 mm (mean 45.6 mm, n = 27); bill length 10.4‒14.5 mm (mean 12.1 mm, n = 82); tarsus length 13‒15 mm (mean 14.0 mm, n = 80) (4). Additional mensural data were supplied by Vaurie (28)

I only have the one photo of parva, so I'll repeat it here, with a load of britannica after for easy comparison. I think I can discern the; 'shorter bill, wings, and tail than the nominate subspecies, also paler or grayer, and usually has less warm brown upperparts'?

Carduelis carduelis parva - Barbate - 29th January

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

Carduelis carduelis britannica - Bury St Edmunds - 16th April 2024

DDL has been able to offer the Middle Eastern perspective as well as this helpful range map. I only like parva myself, but can understand why some stunted individuals might like other races:

Extract from Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds, Volume 2 c/o DDL and replicated with absolutely no permission whatsoever

Al-Zora Golf Club, UAE - 22nd July 2022 - photo by Vlad Sladariu

Al-Zora Golf Club, UAE - 22nd July 2022 - photo by DDL

Who wants to assign the above UAE Goldfinch to race? You get a free pint from one of the Birder's Space team if you give accurate feedback or a humorous wrong answer.

DDL also shared these extract showing paropanisi - which I think we can all agree is a. ridiculous and b. the Goldfinch holy grail. I am going to find one on the east coast to teach everyone a lesson:

Extract from Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds, Volume 2 c/o DDL and replicated with absolutely no permission whatsoever

Anyway, share your Goldfinch subspecies/ race/ whatever photos and we'll add to this blog post - Birder's Space style.

*in your face Jonny H and DDL. I can read AND subscribe to British Birds. Didn't expect that did you. Bet your feeling pretty silly now.