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Twite

Linaria flavirostris

Not yet photographed by the community

Upland finch; similar to Linnet; yellow bill in winter.

Species Profile

Red List (Birds of Conservation Concern)

Lifespan: 5–7 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 12–13 cm, wingspan 21–25 cm; 14–19 g
Habitat: Open moorland, heathland, rough grassland, and coastal scrub with scattered bushes and tussocky vegetation.
UK Distribution: Breeding resident in upland areas of northern England, Scotland, and Wales; winter populations supplemented by continental migrants. Numbers have declined significantly and now largely confined to Scottish islands and remote uplands.
Diet: Seeds of thistles, teasels, dandelions, and other wild plants; occasionally small insects and buds during breeding season.
Predators: Sparrowhawks, merlins, and occasionally larger gulls; predation on eggs and chicks by corvids and stoats.
Mating Season: April to August
Breeding: Clutch of 4–6 eggs; incubation period 10–11 days; fledging at 12–14 days; typically single brood, occasionally two.
Behaviour: Highly gregarious, often seen in small flocks that may join mixed finch flocks in winter. Males perform a distinctive circling song-flight display during breeding season. Acrobatic feeder, extracting seeds from plants while clinging to stems.

Did You Know?

•The Twite is one of the UK's most threatened breeding birds, with populations declining by over 90% since the 1990s, primarily due to agricultural intensification and loss of rough grassland habitats.
•Males develop a distinctive rosy-pink flush on the breast and rump during the breeding season, which intensifies with carotenoid-rich food.
•The species name 'flavirostris' refers to its pale yellowish bill, which is characteristic and helps distinguish it from the closely related Linnet.
•Twites are highly specialist seed-eaters with a particular preference for teasel seeds, making habitat management for teasel growth crucial for conservation efforts.
•The bird's sharp, nasal 'twit-it-it' call, from which its name derives, is characteristic of upland areas where small flocks gather to feed on seed heads.

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