Gold Rush: The Goldfinch Meaning Made Clear
Because of their sweet personalities and their brilliant lemon color, the goldfinch is perhaps the runaway favorite of all the birds that frequently visit our backyards.
The goldfinch is a beautiful and unique bird that has long been associated with various meanings and symbolism. In many cultures, the goldfinch is seen as a symbol of hope, joy, and rebirth. Some believe that the goldfinch can help to bring good luck and happiness into your life. If you are looking for a little bit of guidance or inspiration, consider looking to this golden bird for some answers.
Often seen in large flocks, particularly in the colder months, their ability to feed upside-down is hands-down a joy to watch. These birds lay greenish-blue eggs, which they keep in nests made of shrubs and thickets. They mate and reproduce late in the year as they wait for thistle plants to feed their young and line their nests. With an interesting flight call that sounds like “po-ta-to-chip,” we dive in and learn about the amazing goldfinch meaning.
“They ought to put out the eyes of painters as they do goldfinches in order that they can sing better.”
– Pablo Picasso
Goldfinch Meaning
Known as one of the most colorful songbirds, the goldfinch is a favored pet of bird enthusiasts due to its adorable looks and the fascinating melodies they sing. They are highly sociable birds that commonly inhabit human-populated environments and perform awesome flight patterns characterized by dips and rises which the males use to land a mate. Much like most of their graceful singing relatives, the goldfinch represents an array of wonderful meanings, often as a motif in artworks that hold a theological background.
This bird of black and vibrant yellow plumage, seen at times sporting a patch of red feathers atop its head, is believed to bring luck and recovery to the sick. The goldfish meaning is known to be a symbol of sacrifice, our soul, death, and resurrection, well-recognized as the four essential concepts of the bible.
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Generally considered as positive spirits that embody good omens, goldfinches illustrate beauty, love, family, health, and harmony, all of which are known to be life’s greatest traits. In regards to yellow feathers, also check our post about the yellow feathers meaning.
“Fortunately, however, birds don’t understand pep talks. Not even St. Francis’. Just imagine, he went on, preaching sermons to perfectly good thrushes and goldfinches and chiff-chaffs! What presumption! Why couldn’t he have kept his mouth shut and let the birds preach to him?”
– Aldous Huxley
Symbolic Meaning
These small alluring birds thrive in North Africa, Europe, and Asia where their symbolism was shaped by various cultures that often used them in poetry and art.
The mere sound of a singing goldfinch is believed by many as an expression of one’s inner self. It symbolizes a person’s acceptance of himself, free from everyone else’s judgment.
Apart from being perceived by some as a symbolic representation of our aspirations, hopes, and goals, here are the symbolic occurrences of the goldfinch meaning:
- Love And Commitment
- Creativity And Beauty
- Strong Relationships
- Gentleness And Grace
Love And Commitment
Goldfinches remain faithful to their mate and protect their young until they are strong enough to leave the nest. They secure their homes with durable materials and patiently find seeds to feed their fledglings.
Creativity And Beauty
As genuine beauty can be found in the simplest of things, the goldfinches’ humility, along with their colorful feathers and enchanting melodies, allows these birds to represent the very idea of grace and artistry.
Strong Relationships
Goldfinches are highly sociable creatures that prosper in large groups. Known to be nurturing and affectionate mates and parents, they are natural symbols and representations of family and friendship.
Gentleness And Grace
Poets like to use them as metaphors for the human soul. Regarded as delicate little creatures that embody tenderness and sensitivity, the goldfinch’s compassionate quality makes them a perfect manifestation of the divine and magical.
Spiritual Meaning
The goldfinch’s affinity to thorny plants provides an important connection between these birds and Christianity. Legend has it that a goldfinch saw Jesus as he carried the cross on his way to Calvary while wearing the crown of thorns.
The bird felt sorry that he flew on top of the wooden cross and tried desperately to take off the crown’s thorns, wherein drops of Jesus’ blood dripped over the bird’s head which is the reason why goldfinches have red spots on their heads. In addition, they are often included in Christian paintings to symbolize resurrection.
Among Ancient Egyptian bird meanings, the goldfinch is known to represent the human soul and is considered to signify prosperity, happiness, joy, and abundance. Having its presence in your life is a spiritual indication that you are being protected by a higher being and that all your fears and anxieties should be set aside. They serve as a reminder that through all the restlessness and worries, you should strive to bring joy back into your life and treat yourself with love.
The Goldfinch As Animal Totem
As an animal totem, the goldfinch meaning represents beauty, relationships, health, tranquillity, and open and healthy communication. Folks who have them as their totem tend to be family-oriented people who value relationships and their bond with those who are most dear to them.
They are communicative and can calm people and enjoy even the simplest of things in life. As goldfinches are beautiful and alluring creatures, their attractiveness resonates from within the person, making them a delight to be with.
Goldfinch animal totems dislike chaos and uncertainties, motivating them to pursue control at all times. They practice such humility that they would often cut themselves short in life, settling for less to achieve absolute peace and harmony.
“My wife, the actress Megan Mullally, was an English major at Northwestern University and loves fiction. Like so many things in my life, she curates things for me. For example, I have the daunting prospect of Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” waiting for me when I get through my current reading pile.”
– Nick Offerman
The Goldfinch in culture, mythology and legends
Goldfinch Native American Symbolism
The Iroquois tribe has this legend about the goldfinch, called: “why the goldfinch looks like the sun“. It’s a cute little story where the goldfinch paints the whole world of a fox bright and yellow – check it out!
Celtic mythology
For the Celts the goldfinch is a bird whose legend states that when it is brought into the presence of a sick person if the sick man is going to die, the bird turns away its head and never looks at him; however, if the sick man is going to be saved, the bird never loses sight of him and is the cause of curing him of all his sickness (read more here).
The goldfinch meaning in Greek mythology
According to Greek mythology, Athena transformed Acalante, into a Goldfinch after he apologized for killing one.
Also a bit over the top sound this greek myth: after Tereus raped Philomela and severed her tongue, she and her sister Procne gave him the meat of his dead son Itys as retribution. As a result, Tereus, his wife Procne, and their sister Philomela were all transformed into birds (a hoopoe, a swallow, and a nightingale, respectively) (who in some variants is resurrected as a goldfinch).
Chinese Mythology
A Chinese myth tells us how the goddess of mercy, Guanyin, saved a baby from drowning by transforming herself into a goldfinch.
African Mythology
In African mythology, the god Ogun was once a king who had many wives. He became so angry with one of them, that he killed her and then turned himself into a goldfinch to escape punishment.
The goldfinch meaning in the Bible
Birds have long been used as a Christian symbol. Known to be messengers of God, they symbolize the soul’s ascension towards the heavens, rising above all material things.
Goldfinches often appeared in paintings in the late middle ages and renaissance, especially images of the Madonna and holy child. But also in depictions of Jesus as a child, associating the personification of God through his son with Jesus’ Passion.
Due to its fondness for thistles, the goldfinch has a symbolic association with the crucifixion of Christ and is seen as the bearer of positivity, averting contagion and discomfort the same way it tried to get rid of the thorns bestowed upon Jesus. The goldfinch became a symbol of endurance and sacrifice, representing deliverance and restoration by remaining steadfast and faithful.
European culture
The goldfinch is also mentioned in Shakespeare’s play “The Winter’s Tale” and is considered to be a bringer of good luck in many parts of Europe.
What does it mean to dream of a goldfinch?
To dream of seeing a goldfinch means you will experience great joy and happiness. You may meet someone new or fall in love. If you are single, your life will take on new meaning. To see a goldfinch flying overhead signifies a happy marriage or reunion with an old friend.
If you dream of catching a goldfinch, it is a sign of prosperity and wealth. You will enjoy success in business or romance.
If you dream of eating a goldfinch, you will find yourself in financial difficulties. Your health could suffer because of stress.
Dreaming of being chased by a goldfinch can indicate that you will face problems in your personal life. You should not let such dreams discourage you. Instead, use them to motivate you to work hard toward achieving your goals.
When the goldfinch appears in your dreams, it can also be a sign that you are in need of some joy and light in your life. The goldfinch may also represent new beginnings, hope, and possibilities. If you have been feeling lost or stuck, the goldfinch can be a reminder that it is time to make a change. Trust your intuition and let the goldfinch guide you on your journey.
What Does A Goldfinch Tattoo Stand For?
A Goldfinch tattoo is packed with analogies. In Europe, their images were used as a good luck charm that grants vibrant health to those who wear them as skin art. They have been closely associated with endurance, being an extension of the metaphors crafted out of the bird’s mercy for the hurting Christ.
Much like most birds, the goldfinches’ flight represents unmatched freedom, their wings allowing them to fly away from certain dangers and challenges.
The goldfinch’s extraordinary ability to forge nests using thistles represents knowledge and its ability to be cunning in the face of adversity, traits that many people believe are all they need to gain a life of peace and success. See more about birds tattoo meanings here.
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Conclusion
Although small in stature, the goldfinch lies big in meaning and symbolism. Its stunning colors, lovely songs, and impressive flight make this gorgeous and fascinating little bird a cherished visitor in our yards all year long.
Another part of the family of Fringillidae, or true finches, are siskins and the canary (read about the canary symbolism, the finch symbolism, or our bird comparison: Pine Warbler vs Goldfinch or Finch vs Sparrow).
In case you are into birds with yellow plumage, check out our post: list of yellow birds
[Video] Goldfinch Bird Extravaganza – Birds at The Special Log
So cute!
Because of its colorful look and metaphorical implications, the goldfinch frequently appears in art. Nearly 500 religious works from the Renaissance, mostly by Italian painters, depict the bird, including Madonna Litta (Leonardo da Vinci, 1490–1491), Madonna of the Goldfinch (Raphael, 1506), and Nativity (Piero Della Francesca, 1470–1475).
The Goldfinch is a painting by the Dutch Golden Age painter Fabritius. It is an oil on canvas that measures just over 12 cm × 16.0 cm (approximately five inches by six and a quarter inches). The goldfinch in the picture is perched on the edge of a table next to a carton with various items. The painting is currently on display at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague.
