Despite its versatile preference of habitat, occupying everything from farmlands to urban settings, the goldfinch has spent hundreds of years on the brink after being declared a “criminal species” by the crown in protection of its southern orchards during the 1500s.
The state paid £1 for every bird shot in defence of England’s cider crop, making goldfinch hunting a viable living wage for many. Combined with the popularity of goldfinches as a cage bird, wild numbers took a huge hit that would take a collective effort from the whole of Britain to recover.
The recovery of the species is almost exclusively credited to an increase in bird tables and the easy access to food and shelter they provide.
It is for this reason that the Goldfinch is a perfect example of how even small efforts from the average Brit can make a huge difference in supporting our native avian wildlife, particularly as the agricultural threat posed to many species has only increased alongside the demands of industrial farming.
The state paid £1 for every bird shot in defence of England’s cider crop, making goldfinch hunting a viable living wage for many. Combined with the popularity of goldfinches as a cage bird, wild numbers took a huge hit that would take a collective effort from the whole of Britain to recover.
The recovery of the species is almost exclusively credited to an increase in bird tables and the easy access to food and shelter they provide.
It is for this reason that the Goldfinch is a perfect example of how even small efforts from the average Brit can make a huge difference in supporting our native avian wildlife, particularly as the agricultural threat posed to many species has only increased alongside the demands of industrial farming.