Goldammer: Singing, Appearance & More

What do female and male goldenhamers look like? How can one differentiate the goldhammer from the girlitz? You can find everything you need to know about nest, food, etc. in our bird profile.

The goldhammer (Emberiza citrinella) lives up to its name. The small yellow-gold songbirds are wonderful splashes of color in the landscape and also enrich their surroundings with their high, lovely singing. Goldammers have adapted to our man-made cultural landscapes and are therefore also dependent on the preservation of these landscapes. Unfortunately, like many other bird species, they are threatened by the changed use and increasing intensification of these areas, and the populations of golden hammer are falling steadily. How you can clearly identify the "bird of the year 1999", differentiate it from the similar looking girlitz and support it in your own garden, you can find out here with us.

Goldammer: Wanted poster

size	16 cm
weight	Up to 30 g
Breeding season	April - August
lifespan	Up to 10 years
habitat	Structured cultural landscapes and forest edges
Feed preference	Seeds, insects and spiders
Threats	Loss of living space through intensification of the cultural landscape

This is how you recognize the goldhammer

Goldammers are best recognized during the breeding season, when the males show themselves in their radiant, splendid dress. Then the olive-brown, black-striped wings and the long tail of the same color contrast with the bright yellow head, chest and stomach areas. The upper back of the songbirds is also marked olive-brown-black, the lower back, also called rump, but shines in a strong rust-brown.

What is the difference between female and male goldenhammer?

Female goldenhamers are a bit simpler than their male counterparts. While the face of the males in their magnificent dress shines completely yellow with the exception of a few black stripes that of the females is more of an olive-green to -brown color and is only traversed by yellow stripes. The breasts of the females are also olive and dashed in black. Only the throat and the belly are lighter and of a dirty light yellow, which, however, cannot compete with the yellow splendor of the males. In a simple dress, however, the male golden hammer are just as poor in color as their female partners.

How does the Goldammer singing sound?

The song of the goldhammer is very unique and therefore a good identifier. It consists of a stanza with bright, clear and quickly performed notes, which ends in a stretched final note: "Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-tüüüüüh". In addition to this concise singing, the Goldammer also has a rich repertoire of calls, which are much more difficult to recognize.

You can hear the goldhamers singing in the following recording:

How do you recognize goldenhammer fledglings?

The young birds of the goldenhamers look even simpler than their mothers. The little ones are of a similar olive-brown basic color and already have the black stripes on their backs, tails and wings. But they lack any yellow accents that make the adult animals so colorful. Only the light, dashed belly gives a hint of yellow.

How do you recognize the goldhammer eggs?

The goldenhammer clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs, the color of which can vary between bluish, gray and brownish. Dark purple to black spots or scribbles that cover the eggs are also typical. The nest, built close to the ground, consists of stalks, leaves and other parts of plants. The nest hollow in which the eggs are laid is carefully padded with soft animal hair.

How do Goldammer and Girlitz differ?

Despite their distinctive shape, goldenammers can easily be confused with other bird species. The most common type that can be used for such a mix-up is Girlitz. This little songbird has a very similar color scheme to the golden bunting, but differs in a few details. First of all, the girlitz is slightly smaller than the goldhammer. In addition, his face differs from the golden hammer, as it is marked by a dark, olive-colored patch on the cheek and a part of the same color. The male goldenhamers, on the other hand, have an almost pure yellow face. And finally, the rump of the girlitze described above shines bright yellow, while that of the golden hammer is colored rusty brown.

Which habitat do goldenhamers prefer?

Goldammers prefer to live in open cultivated landscapes, which are nevertheless characterized by structures such as hedges and small trees. They can also be found at the edges of the forest, if they border on open areas. Outside of the breeding season, goldenhamers can often be seen in smaller groups searching for food in fields and meadows.

Where does the goldhammer build its nest?

Goldammers use protective structures in the landscape such as hedges or bushes as nesting places. The nest itself is either built directly on the ground in the dense vegetation or close to the ground in the lower layers of hedges. Which breeding site is best suited for this is determined by the female. However, both partners are responsible for building the nest.

When does the goldenhammer breed?

Goldammers can breed from April to the end of August at the latest. During this time two, sometimes three broods are the norm. The eggs are incubated by the female for up to two weeks. During this time, the male provides his partner with food. After hatching, the young golden hamsters are born naked and blind. They are fed with food in the nest for up to 14 days, until they are large enough to leave the nest on their own.

Where do the goldammers spend the winter?

Our local goldhamers spend the whole year in Germany and thus belong to the Resident birds. However, populations from more northerly areas, for example from Scandinavia, move partly to the south and can then also visit us as winter guests. During this time, the Goldammers also like to get together in smaller groups to work together to go in search of the sparse food and to each other at the common sleeping place to warm.

Support the goldhammer: that's how it works

Due to the increasing intensification of cultivated landscapes, goldenhamers - like many other field birds - are threatened. Their existence depends on near-natural, structurally rich fields and meadows. These can be obtained, for example, through organic farming methods in agriculture.

But you can also do something good for the goldhammer in your own garden. Everything you need to know about food and nesting aids can be found below.

What does the goldhammer eat?

Goldenhammer feed mainly on a variety of tree and plant seeds. In spring, and especially for rearing their young, they also use a number of insects, such as beetles and caterpillars, as well as spiders and other small animals.

If you want to offer additional feed in winter to support the golden songbirds in the barren time, you should use grain feed. Sunflower seeds alone or in combination with wild herb seeds also attract goldhamers to a bird feeder during the cold season. Our Plantura Sunflower seeds for wild birds are therefore ideally suited for the small songbirds - the peeled kernels are easy for the birds to pick up, each supply Lots of energy for the cold winter days and with their extra load of vitamins and honey they ensure a rich diet.

Which nesting aids are suitable for the golden hammer?

As free-breeding birds, goldenhammer cannot be impressed with classic nesting boxes. These are more suitable for cave breeders like Starlings, Tree Sparrows or Great tits. If you still want to offer the yellow songbirds a home, then make sure there is enough undergrowth in your garden. For example, do not thin out hedges and bushes too much in order to create well-protected nesting areas.

How can you additionally support the goldammers?

Especially during the breeding season, goldenhamers are not only dependent on seeds, but also on protein-rich insects and other small animals, with which they prefer to raise their young birds. A buzzing and lively garden is therefore incredibly important for birds too. With our Plantura beneficial insect magnet you can create a little paradise for a multitude of small, useful garden visitors and do something good not only for the birds, but also for your plants.

You should also refrain from using chemical sprays, as these have a negative effect on the Affect garden life and not only poison insects but also birds through the food chain can.

Many other garden birds are of course happy to have a bird-friendly garden. This, for example, is similar to the goldhammer Winter golden chicken - as the name suggests - a frequent winter guest in domestic gardens.