- Lifespan
- 9–11 years in the wild, with some individuals recorded living longer in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 12–13 cm, wingspan 21–25 cm; 14–19 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, parks, gardens, orchards, and areas with teasels and thistles, particularly in lowland regions.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; largely resident year-round, with continental birds supplementing populations in winter.
- Diet
- Primarily small seeds from teasels, thistles, dandelions, and other wild plants; occasionally insects and small amounts of vegetation.
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, Eurasian kestrels, and occasionally cats; eggs and chicks vulnerable to jays and magpies.
- Mating Season
- April to August
- Breeding
- Clutch size 4–6 eggs, incubation period 12–13 days, fledging at 13–15 days; typically 2 broods per year.
- Behaviour
- Highly social, often seen in flocks called 'charms,' particularly in winter. Males perform elaborate display flights during courtship, twisting and turning through the air. Acrobatic feeders, often hanging from seed heads to extract seeds with their pointed bills.