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Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Not yet photographed by the community

Stocky green finch, once common, now declining.

Species Profile

Green List (UK Birds of Conservation Concern)

Lifespan: 8–10 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 12–13 cm, wingspan 21–25 cm; 14–19 g
Habitat: Open woodlands, parks, gardens, orchards, and areas with teasels and thistles for feeding.
UK Distribution: Resident throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; numbers significantly boosted by continental migrants in autumn and winter.
Diet: Primarily small seeds from thistles, teasels, dandelions, and birch; also feeds on cultivated sunflower seeds at garden feeders.
Predators: Sparrowhawks, hobbies, and occasionally cats; corvids may prey on eggs and chicks.
Mating Season: April to July
Breeding: Clutch size 4–6 eggs, incubation period 10–12 days, fledging at 13–15 days; typically 2 broods per season.
Behaviour: Highly social, especially in winter when forming flocks of 10–100 birds; performs distinctive bouncing flight with wheezing calls. Males perform acrobatic courtship flights to attract mates.

Did You Know?

•Greenfinches suffered a severe population decline from 2006 onwards due to trichomonosis, a parasitic disease spread via garden feeders; populations have since stabilised and recovered.
•The striking yellow wing bars visible in flight are more prominent in males and are key to their identification.
•They are highly attracted to nyjer seed feeders and sunflower hearts in UK gardens, making them increasingly common garden visitors.
•Greenfinches have a specialised digestive system allowing them to extract nutrition from tiny seeds that other birds cannot process.
•They produce a distinctive wheezy, twittering call in flight and perform a characteristic song with rapid trills and wheezes from prominent perches.

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