Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Greenfinch

Greenfinch (Male)

Carduelis carduelis

Photography © Kim Park
Uig - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
18th May, 2006

 

Our greenfinch phototographs :

Greenfinch juvenile	Greenfinch male	Greenfinch Adult feeding fledged chick

• Greenfinch
• Carduelis chloris
• AKA: European greenfinch, Green Linnet, Gringoe, Greeny, Greenie, Greenfynch, Greenbird,
• UK: Summer 695 territories BTO
• WI: Resident breeder, winter visitor
• Distribution: Europe,South-west Asia, North Africa (introduced to New Zealand) mostly resident, some northern birds migrate South
• Habitat: Mostly close to man. Thick vegetation. Open woodland, arable or pasture farmland, gardens. Nests in trees or bushes. 2 broods of 4-5 eggs.
• Diet: Seeds: inc rose-hips, cereal grain, some invertebrates. Insects for nestlings
• Large (14-16cm) chunky finch. mainly olive-green (yellow in wings & tail). Female and juveniles duller, brownish backs. Bill very thick, conical. Song wheezes & liquid twitters. Male display flight butterfly-like. Sociable & squabbles. Often forms flocks(up to 40 birds) with other finches (& buntings) outside of breeding season
• Max recorded age 12 yrs, typical lifespan 2 yrs
• Similar birds: siskin
• Listen to a greenfinch (RSPB site)

There are breeding records of greenfinch from plantations and other pockets of woodland across across the Western Isles.

The majority of greenfinch in the UK are resident , but some of the birds migrate south to continental Europe. Most of the UK's incoming winter visitors are from Norway.

Greenfinch seen here in areas outside of their breeding environment are likely to be passage migrants.

 

Two or more finches is called a charm .

 

Visit Kim's web site of her photography of the Western Isles
www.bigbigskies.co.uk

 

Other local bird photographs

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