Brambling & Greenfinch

Similar in size and shape to the chaffinch, the male brambling has a black head in summer, and an orange breast with white belly. In flight it shows a long white rump. Gregarious in winter, it may form flocks of many thousands and often joins with chaffinches. Numbers can vary between winters depending on food supplies. It is a Schedule 1 species.

What they eat:
Seeds in winter; insects in summer.

Measurements:
Length: 14cm
Wingspan: 25-26cm
Weight: 24gPopulation:
UK breeding: 0-2 pairs
UK wintering: 45,000-1,800,000 birds
Europe: 13-22 million pairs
Its twittering, wheezing song and flash of yellow and green as it flies, make this finch a truly colourful character. Nesting in a garden conifer, or feasting on black sunflower seeds, the greenfinch is a regular garden visitor, able to take advantage of food in rural and urban gardens. Although quite sociable, they may squabble among themselves or with other birds at the bird table.

Greenfinch populations declined during the late 1970s and early 1980s but increased dramatically during the 1990s. A recent decline in numbers has been linked to an outbreak of trichomonosis, a parasite-induced disease that prevents the birds from feeding properly. To help stop the spread, make sure to keep your bird feeders clean.

What they eat:
Seeds and insects.
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