Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• Vink (Holland).
• Pinson des arbres (France).
• Buchfink (Germany).
• Fringuello (Italy).
• Pinzón común (Spain).
• Bofink (Sweden).

(B162)

Names for newly-hatched

Names for non-breeding males or other colour-phases

References

Species Author

Species Editor

Major References

Aviculture references:

• Wildlife and Countryside Directorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
• The Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

• --

TAXA Group (where information has been collated for an entire group on a modular basis)

Parent Group

• Finches, Siskins, Linnets, Crossbills, Buntings.

Specific Needs Group referenced in Management Techniques

Aviculture Information

Notes

Management Techniques

• Accommodation of Casualty Garden Birds etc. (Small Passerines)
• Hand-rearing Garden Birds etc. (Small Passerines)
• Catching and Handling of Garden Birds etc. (Small Passerines)
• Feeding of Casualty Garden birds etc. (Small Passerines)
• Release of Casualty Garden Birds, etc. (Small Passerines)

Measurement & Weight

• 14.5cm (B162); 14-16cm (B164); 15cm (B165); 14.5-16cm / 5.5-6.5 ins (B166)

Wingspan:

•  24.5-28.5cm (B162)

Winglength:

• Male: 86-95mm (B162)
• Female: 81-86mm (B162)

Head

Legs

Plumage

• Upperparts: Brown; shoulder grey; rump buff.
• Head:  Crown blue-grey; cheeks reddish-pink.
• Underparts: Pink to reddish-pink; throat reddish-pink.
• Wings: Dark brown with yellowish edges to feathers upper flight feathers and coverts black with white bands.
• Tail: Medium length, with notched end; upper and under: Black, with white outer edges and paler grey band along center of tail.

(B162, B165, B166)

• Upperparts: Buff-brown
• Head: Crown Buff-brown / dark brown; cheek brown eyebrow grey
• Underparts: Buff-cream.

(B162, B165, B166)

• Upperparts: Light, buffy brown.
• Wings: Black with white feather edges.
• Underparts: Buff-cream.

(B162, B165, B166)

Newly-hatched Characteristics

Nest placement and structure

• Located in fork of tree or bush.
• Commonly 2-4m from ground, up to 15m.
• Woven cup of grass fibers, moss and lichens bound together with spider-silk.
• Nest lined with hair, lichen, feathers and other soft materials.

(B162, B163, B166)

Egg clutches

(B162, B163, B166)

Incubation

Hatching

Fledging

Sexual Maturity

Feeding Behaviour

Parental Behaviour

Fed by parents for several days after fledging. (B163)

Social Behaviour

• Gregarious outside the breeding season, forming flocks for feeding and migration. (B162)

Sexual Behaviour

• Generally monogamous.
• Occasional successive bigamy by males.
• Males readily promiscuous, though likely females play an active role.

(B162, B163)

Predation in Wild

Activity Patterns

• Perches openly.
• Flits and hops.
• Takes off from both ground and vegetation.

(B166)

Adults

• Fruit and seeds (crushed, not dehusked).
• Invertebrates (caterpillars) taken in spring and summer.

(B162, B163, B166)

Newly-hatched

Distribution and Movement (Migration etc.)

Britain: Common throughout Britain, except on some Scottish islands. (B162, B166)

Migration:

• Resident in Europe, though migrates from north-east to south and south-west . (B162)

Palearctic; winters to northern Africa, southern Asia; introduced South Africa, New Zealand (B89)

 New Zealand and South Africa (Cape Town). (B162)

Habitat

• Temperate woodlands through to steppe lands on edge of tundra.
• Widespread anywhere with bushes.
• Common in gardens, heaths, woodlands, fields and hedgerows.

(B162, B163, B166)

Intraspecific variation

• Fringilla coelebs spondiogenys (North Africa). Crown and nape of male medium blue-grey with black lore. side of head and neck bluish ash-grey with white eye-ring. Mantle and shoulders bright green, back and rump green or mixed green and blue-grey. Tail mostly white.
• Fringilla coelebs canariensis (Atlantic Islands). Upperparts deep slate-blue. Black bar on forehead. Rump bright green, while feather tips of upperparts tend to olive-brown in fresh plumage. Cheeks ochre or orange, with rest of head and neck dark blue-grey.

(B162) 

Conservation Status

Widely distributed across Europe (B163)

• This species is listed on Schedule 3 - Part I (Birds which may be sold alive at all times if ringed and bred in captivity: Notes on the revised schedules state "NB: Certain birds on Schedule 4 may also be sold under licence provided they are registered with the DETR") of the LUK2 - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of the United Kingdom. (W5.Oct01)

Captive Populations

Trade