Page 454 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES/BUNTINGS
Family Fringillidae Species Pinicola enucleator Family Fringillidae Species Loxia scotica
Pine Grosbeak Scottish Crossbill

A massive finch, the Pine Grosbeak is Crossbill-like If Parrot and common Crossbills (see p.392) are hard
(see p.392) in plumage but more Bullfinch-like (see to distinguish,the Scottish Crossbill,being intermediate
p.290) in form and behaviour. Males are cherry-red between the two, can seem impossible to identify. It is
and grey with thin white wingbars; females have the restricted to pine forest in Scotland, but the other two
red replaced by bronze-green or yellowish.Young males can be found there, too. It has bulging cheeks, a thick
develop orange-red in winter.The bill neck, and a deep, hefty bill; its plumages are like those
thick,
is thick and rounded, but not crossed, uncrossed bill of the other species and its calls are confusingly difficult
the head rather small (unlike Crossbill), unless recorded and analysed technically. Research
and the tail quite long.This berry- continues into the relationship of all these forms.
eater inhabits forest and sometimes OCCURRENCE Resident in N Scotland,
gardens and towns in winter. presumably does not move elsewhere.
OCCURRENCE Breeds VOICE Much as Crossbill’s, sometimes bulging
cheeks
in N Scandinavia, deeper, thicker notes.
slightly more
becomes increasingly
widespread in red with age
winter only.
VOICE Clear, fluty
whistling calls and
duller conversational
notes from flocks.
IMMATURE
MALE
FEMALE
long tail
Length 19–22cm (7 1 ⁄2–9in) Wingspan 30–35cm (7–8 1 ⁄2in) Length 16–17cm (6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 27–37cm (10 1 ⁄2–14 1 ⁄2in)
Family Passeridae Species Montifringilla nivalis Family Emberizidae Species Emberiza rustica
Snowfinch Rustic Bunting
The Snowfinch is large, long-winged, and short-legged In summer, males are boldly marked black and white
with black-tipped white wings recalling a Snow on the head, reddish above, and white below with a
Bunting (see p.401).The head is grey (black face and red-brown breast-band. Females and autumn males
bib on summer male), the back dull grey-brown, and have a paler central crown stripe on a duller head;
the tail white with a narrow black centre. In summer, both sexes raise their crown feathers at times.
the male has a black bill; otherwise the bill is yellow. Immatures are streaked yellow-brown, with a broad
OCCURRENCE Sparse breeder, at high altitude, in pale stripe over the eye, a white ear-spot edged black,
Pyrenees, Alps, Italy, and Balkans. and a cream band under the cheek.The rump is rust-
VOICE Wide variety of sharp, hoarse, black bill brown; two thin white wingbars are usually obvious.
or mewing calls; trilling, OCCURRENCE Breeds in Sweden, Finland, and
sparrow-like song. Russia; rare migrant to E Europe and vagrant in
dull grey- W Europe; in wet forested areas; May to September.
brown back
VOICE Short, sharp, penetrating tic or zit; song short,
MALE (SUMMER)
rhythmic, rattling phrase.
MALE (AUTUMN)
rufous rump

Length 17–19cm (6 1 ⁄2–7 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 34–38cm (13 1 ⁄2–15in) Length 12–13cm (4 3 ⁄4 –5in) Wingspan 14–17cm (5 1 ⁄2 –6 1 ⁄2in)
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