Greenfinch Facts - Information About Greenfinch

Greenfinch - Carduelis Chloris

The Greenfinch is an abundant British breeding resident with around a million pairs, it occurs in nearly all habitat types throughout the country and can easily be enticed into the garden by presenting suitable food on the Bird Table or ground, Greenfinches feed on seed so a good Seed Mix will bring them in.

Identification:

Adult

• Males and females are easily recognised with their overall green grey plumage, males are brighter than females.


• Finches are small Sparrow sized birds, the Greenfinch is around 15 cm s in length.

Male

• Tail is slightly forked, dark with buttercup yellow sides, rump is moss green, back is moss green.


• Wings are green with pale greyish panel and bright buttercup yellow primary shafts and shoulder.


• The Greenfinch has a green head with greyish cheeks and yellow chin.


• Underparts are green tinged yellow and undertail coverts are white.

Female

• Female Greenfinches look like a washed out browner versions of the male.


• They tend to show faint brown streaking to the back and much reduced yellow on wings, tail and face.


• Underparts are pale greyish green often slightly streaked.


• Bill and legs pale, eye dark.

Juvenile

• Juveniles appear from late April onwards and look very similar to adult females but paler overall and heavily streaked below.




Status and Distribution


The Greenfinch is a very abundant breeding resident in the UK with about million pairs. The Greenfinch occurs in all counties throughout the UK.
In winter numbers increase as migrants come to the UK from Continental Europe to escape their cold winters, migrants start to arrive in October to winter in our less severe climate.



Habitat/Food


Greenfinches tend to feed on the ground and bird table but will occasionally take food from Feeders, they occur in all habitat types throughout the UK, woodlands, parks, gardens, farmland, hedgerows towns and cities.

In the garden Greenfinches love Seed Mixes.



Song/Call


Several call notes; most often a short loud ‘chupp ’ sometimes repeated, also a short sharp high ’jueet’ rising in tone
Song contains call notes and a series of twitters and wheezing notes.