Identification
A medium-sized finch with clear pale wing bars. Males are more brightly coloured than females, which show softer brown and grey tones.
When to look
Some European birds remain resident while others migrate. Flocks and local numbers can change markedly outside the breeding season.
Where to look
Woodland, forest edges, parks, orchards and gardens provide feeding and nesting sites. It occurs across a wide range of wooded settings.
Behaviour and ecology
Food and nutrition
Seeds and buds are taken alongside invertebrates. Animal food is especially useful when young birds need to grow.
Breeding and life cycle
A neatly built cup is placed on a branch or in a fork. Plant fibres, moss, lichen and soft lining materials help form it.
A closer look
Birds sharing the same woodland in winter may have arrived from different parts of Europe; familiar appearance does not reveal their journey.
Global conservation assessment
LC · Least Concern
Global category recorded from the linked assessment; it does not describe local abundance. Least Concern does not mean absence of threats.
View the source assessment ↗Observation and photography
Learn its calls and look at wing markings on both sexes. Watch from paths without handling nests or trimming surrounding branches.
Sources and further reading
Keep a distance that allows birds to feed and rest normally. Do not enter colonies, approach nests, flush roosts or use playback for photographs. Never publish precise nest locations of sensitive species. Follow reserve rules and your guide's advice.