Page 389 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES
Order Passeriformes Family Fringillidae Species Carduelis spinus
Siskin dark streaks on black cap
green back

broad yellow
bar on black
yellow wings
rump
black
yellow patch chin
on each side
of black tail
MALE
whitish belly
IN FLIGHT
paler and
looks like greyer, greyer head
washed-out than male’s lime-green
female to yellowish
breast
MALE

black streaks
on white
underside
JUVENILE FEMALE
tree-seed feeder, the Siskin is particularly associated with conifers, FLIGHT: dashing, darting, undulating; often in
A but also feeds in birch and alder trees in winter. It visits gardens tight-packed, coordinated flocks.
to eat peanuts and sunflower seeds, but is not usually a NUT BASKET FEEDER
ground-feeder. In winter, it associates in flocks, which Siskins come to gardens in
share a bounding, tight-packed sociability with the spring, when natural supplies
Redpoll. Males sometimes separate out from the of seed are low; they like the
flocks in spring to sing from treetops.When reddish peanuts especially.
feeding, these tiny finches are acrobatic, almost
tit-like in their actions.
VOICE Flight calls loud, whistled, clear, with
slightly squeaky or metallic quality, tsy-zee or tsu-ee;
feeding birds give low, hoarse buzz or purr; song mixes calls
and fast trills with hard twittering notes, from tree or in flight.
NESTING Tiny nest of twigs and stems, lined with plant down and hair, high
in tree; 4 or 5 eggs; 1 or 2 broods; May–July.
FEEDING Eats seeds of pine, larch, and various other trees.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds locally in N and E Europe,
GREENFINCH 32; browner, with yellow Alps, Pyrenees, UK, and Ireland,
see p.386 no yellow forehead in forest of spruce and pine. In
much of male winter, more widespread and
larger less
streaked found especially in stands of larch,
spruce, and alders along rivers;
visits gardens for peanuts.
REDPOLL 2 SERIN 32;
similar to 2; yellow rump; Seen in the UK
see p.384 see p.389 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 12cm (4 3 ⁄4in) Wingspan 20–23cm (8–9in) Weight 12–18g ( 7 ⁄16 – 5 ⁄8oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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