Perhaps one of the most colourful of our garden birds, Goldfinches are found in both urban and rural areas throughout Ireland. Their fine-pointed beaks allow them to extract seeds from plants such as thistles and teasels that other finch species cannot reach. Goldfinches have now become a common garden bird, feeding on peanuts and niger seed. In winter, our populations of Goldfinches increase with birds arriving in from Europe to take advantage of our relatively mild winter weather. This Goldfinch was photographed in our garden in Co. Wicklow in February 2012.