Page 390 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES
Order Passeriformes Family Fringillidae Species Serinus citrinella
Citril Finch pale,

greenish
duller plumage grey cap and yellow
pale than male’s hindneck face
yellow-
green yellow pale grey sides
rump wingbars of neck and
chest
unstreaked
flanks dull green
back thin
MALE bill
FEMALE
dark tail
IN FLIGHT
black and yellow-
yellow green
crossbars breast
on wings

MALE
(WINTER) MALE
(SUMMER)
small, neat finch, with a combination of soft grey, pale
Alemon-yellow, and apple-green on its body and boldly
barred wings, the Citril Finch is a bird of high altitude forest-
edge habitats. It feeds on the ground or in trees in clearings or
around grassy Alpine meadows within easy reach of spruce trees. FLIGHT: light, fast flight with bouncy undulations.
It is usually found in small groups or
family parties, looking puzzlingly like MOUNTAIN SPECIALIST
Citril Finches can be spotted high
subtly marked Siskins or small, dull up, close to the tree line around
Greenfinches at first. rocky Alpine pastures.
VOICE Various quick flight calls, short tek
or te-te-te; song quick, varied, rambling
warble with wheezy notes and buzzy trills.
NESTING Nest of grass and lichens, lined
with plant down, high in tree; 4 or 5 eggs;
1 or 2 broods; May–July.
FEEDING Feeds on seeds, both from trees
and on ground beneath.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
SERIN 32; smaller bill black cap on male bigger Bird of mountain forests and
yellower rump; adjoining high level pastures,
see p.389 yellow streak
on wing and spruce woods at tree line, in
edges N Spain, S France, Alps, Corsica,
yellow
tail sides and Sardinia, rarely moving far
from breeding areas.
SISKIN 32;
yellower rump; GREENFINCH 32; Seen in the UK
see p.387 see p.386 JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 11–12cm (4 1 ⁄4 –4 3 ⁄4in) Wingspan 18–20cm (7–8in) Weight 12–15g ( 7 ⁄16 – 9 ⁄16oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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