Page 395 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES
Order Passeriformes Family Fringillidae Species Carpodacus erythrinus
Scarlet Rosefinch cherry-red head and bold black
breast (loses red
in winter) eye

JUVENILE two pale buff
brown wingbars brown back short,
rounded
wings
MALE bill
(SUMMER)
soft streaks
below
red
dull rump
brown
back
IN FLIGHT
fine streaks on crown JUVENILE
and cheeks
mid-brown back
hint of narrow
wingbars
pale underside with MALE
fine dark streaks
(SUMMER)
FEMALE
everal species of Rosefinches are widespread across Asia but only
Sthis one breeds in Europe. It is a bright, sturdy finch with a thick,
bulky bill and small dark eyes in a plain face, giving a distinctive FLIGHT: quite weak, soft; whirring wingbeats and
expression in all plumages. It has shown a tendency to spread slight undulations.
westwards in recent years, with sporadic JUVENILE
breeding even in Great Britain; singing males The pale wingbars and dark,
may turn up in early summer in unexpected round eyes are conspicuous on
places.This may or may not lead to long-term this juvenile.
colonization; other species, such as the Serin,
have shown a similar pattern without
properly establishing themselves.
VOICE Short, ascending whistle, vuee or tsoee;
song soft, rhythmic, whistling sequence.
NESTING Small neat grass nest low in bush;
4 or 5 eggs; 1 or 2 broods; May–July.
FEEDING Feeds on seeds, buds, shoots, and
some insects, found in bushes or on ground.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Present from May to August from
BULLFINCH 32; grey cap CROSSBILL 32; thicker bill C Europe eastwards, north to
see p.390 dark cap different habitat;
see p.392 Scandinavia, breeding in deci-
grey duous woodland and bushy places,
back
larger often in wetland areas near lakes
white or rivers. In autumn, rare migrant
wingbars on W European coasts.
CHAFFINCH 32; Seen in the UK
see p.380 JF M A M J J AS O N D
Length 15cm (6in) Wingspan 22–26cm (9–10in) Weight 21–27g ( 3 ⁄4 – 15 ⁄16oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure†
393