The fate of the goldfinch in the Maghreb is in Morocco’s hands. This mythical bird’s distribution range dropped by 56% in North Africa between 1990 and 2016, leading to its virtual extinction in Tunisia and Algeria. Today it is mainly found in Morocco.

Industrial poaching to meet the local demand for domestication is a major factor in the bird’s decline. Urbanisation, pesticides and climate change are others. Efforts to curb goldfinch poaching have been made, but fall short - the bird continues to be highly endangered.

Prized for its colourful plumage and song since ancient times, its outstanding vocal abilities attracted Renaissance artists and Arab caliphs alike. The goldfinch imitates and improves the song of other birds. In Arabic it’s called ‘al-hasûn’, referring to the verb ‘hasan’a’ - to improve.

In the mid-20th century the bird became more popular and is now a strong socio-economic symbol.