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European greenfinch (Chloris chloris)

The European greenfinch is an introduced seed-eating bird recorded in the Northern and Yorke region. It can feed on crops and garden produce, and may compete with native birds for food.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, bird.

Native to: Europe, North Africa and western Asia.

Established in: NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA.

Other names: Greenfinch, European green finch.

Best time to act: Watch and listen for singing birds in spring and summer, when they are conspicuous and breeding activity can help locate them.

Identification

  • A sturdy, finch-sized bird with a thick, pale bill.
  • Males are mostly olive-green, with bright yellow on the wings and tail.
  • Females are duller and browner, with streaking and less vivid yellow.
  • In flight, both sexes show noticeable yellow flashes on the wings and tail.
  • Its call is a mix of twittering notes and a distinctive nasal, drawn-out sound.
  • Look-alike: European goldfinches have a red face and black-and-white markings on the head, which greenfinches lack.
  • Look-alike: House sparrows are browner and do not show the greenfinch’s bright yellow wing and tail markings.

Where it lives

In Australia it uses open woodland, farmland, parks, gardens and other areas with trees or shrubs and a supply of seeds.

Why it matters

  • It eats seeds and may feed on fruit, buds and crops, including in orchards and gardens.
  • Where it is abundant, it may compete with native seed-eating birds for food.
  • Its feeding can cause localised damage to crops or garden produce.

How it spreads

  • Introduced populations can expand through natural movement and dispersal from established areas.
  • People should not release or transport live birds between sites.

Control methods

  • Confirm the identification and record where birds are seen before planning any response.
  • Protect vulnerable crops with well-maintained bird netting or other suitable exclusion measures, and secure food sources that attract birds.
  • If capture or removal is warranted, use only humane, approved methods and appropriately trained operators, following any permit or wildlife requirements; do not use poisons or improvised traps.
  • Monitor the site after control and contact Biosecurity SA or the local Landscape Board for advice on reporting and suitable action.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Clean up spilled grain and seed around stores and feeding areas, and avoid moving live birds or feed between sites.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Prohibited entrant. Wildlife that is not native to the NT is a prohibited entrant, so you need an NT permit to bring it in or keep it. Report any wild sighting to the NT Government.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board

Sources