It is a bird that stands out for its spectacular colors and its melodic singing. This splendid singing is the reason why it is caged and displayed in singing competitions.

Currently, hunting wild birds for these practices is illegal and many die or are injured in the capture process.

In the past, before entering a mine, the miner put a cage with a goldfinch. The bird was used to detect the presence of firedamp, a mixture of air and methane gas from coal. If the bird died, it revealed a presence of danger and the miner turned back.