- Lifespan
- 3–5 years in the wild; up to 13 years in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 24–26 cm, wingspan 31–35 cm; 24–39 g
- Habitat
- Urban, suburban, and rural human settlements including gardens, parks, farmland, and buildings where it nests and feeds.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, from lowlands to uplands. Resident year-round; populations may be supplemented by continental migrants in winter.
- Diet
- Seeds from grasses and weeds, grains, and insects (especially during breeding season); also scavenges human food scraps and visits bird feeders.
- Predators
- Eurasian sparrowhawk, merlin, kestrel, and domestic cats; corvids and gulls take eggs and chicks.
- Mating Season
- March to August
- Breeding
- Clutch size 3–5 eggs; incubation period 10–14 days; fledging 14–19 days. Typically 2–3 broods per year.
- Behaviour
- Highly social and gregarious, forming flocks especially in winter. Males are territorial during breeding and perform courtship displays with wing-fluttering. They roost communally at night in dense vegetation or buildings.