Long-tailed rosefinch

Uragus sibiricus

Photo by M. Nishimura (Wikipedia)

Common name:
long-tailed rosefinch (en); peito-rosado-rabilongo (pt); roselin à longue queue (fr); camachuelo colilargo (es); meisengimpel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species breeds in two separate regions of Asia, one from southern Siberia southwards into northern Mongolia and eastwards into south-eastern Russia and northern Japan, the other region is in central and southern China from Xizang, Shaanxi and Shanxi to Sichuan and Yunnan.The Siberian populations winter in Kazakhstan and north-western China, the far eastern populations winter in Korea and southern Japan, and the Chinese populations are resident.

Size:
These birds are 16-18 cm long and weigh 16-26 g.

Habitat:
The long-tailed rosefinch is found in temperate forests, particularly in dense willow Salix and birch Betula thickets, as well as in grasslands, scrublands and reedbeds.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seeds, berries and buds of various plants such as cherries Prunus and honeysuckle Lonicera.

Breeding:
Long-tailed rosefinches breed in May-August. The nest is cone shapes and made of stems and twigs lined with plant down, finer twigs and hair. There the female lays 4-6 eggs but there is no information regarding the incubation and fledging period. Each pair raises a single brood per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common, although rare or scarce in some areas. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Red-fronted serin

Serinus pusillus

Photo by Giorgi Rajebashvili (Georgian Biodiversity Database)

Common name:
fire-fronted serin (en); chamariz-de-testa-vermelha (pt); serin à front d'or (fr); verdecillo de frente roja (es); rotstirngirlitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found from Turkey and Jordan, through the Caucasus and Iran, and into central Asia as far east as Xinjiang in north-western China, and the northern slopes of the Himalayas as far as Bhutan.

Size:
These birds are 10,5-13 cm long and have a wingspan of 21-23 cm. They weigh 9,5-13,5 g.

Habitat:
The fire-fronted serin is mostly found in temperate forests and scrublands in mountainous areas, favouring areas dominated by birch, pine and juniper. They also use grasslands and occur at altitudes of 2.000-4.600 m.

Diet:
They forage both on the ground and in the vegetation, mainly taking seeds, shoots, flower heads and fruits, but also some insects.

Breeding:
Fire-fronted serins are monogamous and breed in April-August. The nest is a neat and compact cup, made of dry grass, bark strips, stalks, moss, lichen, and sometimes twigs. It is thickly lined with plant down and feathers, and placed in dense vegetation or sometimes in a rock crevice, often located on a ledge in an inaccessible cliff. There the female lays 3-5 bluish-white eggs with pink and dark purple markings, which she incubates alone for 11-16 days. The chicks fledge 14-16 days after hatching. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is very roughly estimated at 3,5-49,2 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Cape siskin

Serinus totta

Photo by Steve Hinton (Steve Hinton Wildlife Photography)

Common name:
Cape siskin (en); canário-do-Cabo (pt); serin totta (fr); canario de El Cabo (es); Hottentottengirlitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is endemic to South Africa, only being found in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces.

Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and weigh 10-20 g.

Habitat:
The Cape siskin is mostly found in dry fynbos scrublands and coastal scrublands, also using clearing in dry tropical forests, fringes of succulent karoo vegetation, edges of pine plantations and village gardens.

Diet:
They feed on the seeds and buds of various grasses and scrubs, also taking flowers, nectar and some insects.

Breeding:
Cape siskins are monogamous and breed in August-December. They nest in a shallow cup of fine dry grasses and rootlets, lined with fine grass sometimes mixed with down, wool or hair. The nest is typically placed in a horizontal crevice, small depression or cavity in a rock face or tree. The female lays 3-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for about 13 days while being fed by the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as common to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

House finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

Photo by John Benson (Wikipedia)

Common name:
house finch (en); peito-rosado-doméstico (pt); roselin familier (fr); carpodaco doméstico (es); hausgimpel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is originates from Mexico, the western United States and southern British Columbia and Alberta in Canada. They were introduced in New York in the 1940s and have since colonized eastern North America as far south as northern Florida and as far north as southern Quebec and Ontario, and east to Minnesota, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Size:
These birds are 12,5-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-25 cm. They weigh 16-27 g.

Habitat:
The house finch is mostly found in dry scrublands and grasslands, but also in human-created habitats such as pastures, plantations, arable land and rural gardens. Tey are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seeds, buds, fruits and berries, including wild mustard seeds, knotweed, thistle, mulberry, poison oak, cactus, and many other wild species, as well as cultivated plants such as cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, blackberries, and figs. They also take a few insects.

Breeding:
House finches breed in March-August. They are monogamous and the female builds the nest, a shallow cup made of fine stems, grasses, leaves, rootlets, thin twigs, string, wool, and feathers, with similar, but finer materials for the lining. It can be placed in a tree, scrub, cactus, rock ledge or building. The female lays 2-6 bluish or greenish-white with fine black and pale purple speckles, which she incubates alone for 13-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 12-19 days after hatching. Each pair can raise up to 3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 21 million individuals. The  population has undergone a large increase of 16% per decade over the last 4 decades.

Hawfinch

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Photo by Eduardo Balogh (Trek Nature)

Common name:
hawfinch (en); bico-grossudo (pt); gros-bec casse-noyaux (fr); picogordo común (es); kernbeißer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found throughout most of Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula north to Britain and southern Scandinavia and east into Turkey and Russia, along the Caucasus and southern Russia into northern Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia and north-eastern China. There are also population in Iran, between Uzbekistan and western China, and in northern Africa from Morocco to Tunisia. The populations in Europe are mostly resident, but the most Asian population migrate to winter around the Mediterranean, and in south-eastern China, Korea and Japan.

Size:
These birds are 16,5-18 cm long and have a wingspan of 29-33 cm. They weigh 48-62 g.

Habitat:
The hawfinch is mostly found in temperate forests, mainly oak and other deciduous trees but also mixed and coniferous forests. They also use rural gardens as well as urban parks and gardens.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seeds, being able to crack open seeds and large as cherry pits and almonds with their strong beak. They also take buds, shoots of various tree and scrubs. During the breeding season also caterpillars.

Breeding:
Hawfinches breed in March-July. They can either nest in individual pairs or often in small colonies. Each nest is a bulky structure made of dry twigs, with an inner cup made of roots grasses, twigs, dry moss, and lichens. It is usually placed in a large tree. The female lays 4-6 whitish eggs with dark brown blotches, which she incubates alone for 11-14 days while the male brings her food. The chicks fledge 10-14 days after hatching. Each pair usually raises a single clutch per year, but in very favourable years they may raise a second clutch.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 14,7-50,4 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats and data for part of Europe show a stable trend over the last 3 decades.

Island canary

Serinus canaria

(Photo from Flickr)

Common name:
island canary (en); canário-da-terra (pt); serin des Canaries (fr); canario silvestre (es); kanarengirlitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is native of the north-eastern Atlantic archipelagos of Madeira, Azores and the Canary islands. It has also been introduced to Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Hawaiian Islands, and the domestic form is a popular cage bird worldwide.

Size:
These birds are 12,5-13,5 cm long and have a wingspan of 23 cm. They weigh 15-25 g.

Habitat:
The island canary is found in a variety of habitats, including dry scrublands, laurel forests, pine forests, open woodlands, pastures, arable land, orchards and rural gardens. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.700 m.

Diet:
They forage mainly on the ground, taking the seeds of various grasses and weeds, but also eat fig seeds and the buds of leaves and flowers. During the breeding season the diet may be complemented with insects.

Breeding:
Island canaries breed in January-June. The nest is built by the female while the male defends the territory. The nest is an open cup made of grasses, roots and moss and lined with hair and feathers. It is placed high up in a thick scrub or tree. The female lays 3-5 pale blue-green eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 13-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-17 days after hatching, but only become fully independent some 3 weeks later. They become sexually mature at 3-4 months of age. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 60.000-300.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-winged grosbeak

Mycerobas carnipes

Photo by Isabekov Askar (Birds of Kazakhstan)

Common name:
white-winged grosbeak (en); bico-grossudo-d'asa-branca (pt); gros-bec à ailes blaches (fr); picogordo aliblanco (es); wacholderkernbeißer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found in central Asia, from northern Iran, through Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, and into south-eastern Kazakhstan, western and central China, Nepal and northernmost India and Myanmar.

Size:
Thee birds are 21-24 cm long and weigh 56-62 g.

Habitat:
The white-winged grosbeak is mostly found in high-altitude scrublands and also high-altitude temperate forests such as juniper and juniper-spruce. They are present at altitudes of 2.800-4.600 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the berries of dogwood Cornus sanguinea of randia Randia tetrasperma and common juniper Juniperus communis, with a complement of conifer seeds, nuts and seeds of herbaceous plants such as Rumex sp.

Breeding:
White-winged grosbeaks breed in March-September. The nest is built mostly by the female, consisting of a deep cup made of twigs, grass stems and sometimes moss and dry leave, and lined with pieces of bark. Most often it is placed in a juniper tree, up to 2 m above the ground, but may be placed in larger tree up to 20 m above the ground. The female lays 2-5 pale greenish-grey eggs with black and purple spots, which are incubated by both parents for 15-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 20 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Yellow-fronted canary

Serinus mozambicus

Photo by Myron Tay (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
yellow-fronted canary (en); canário-de-testa-amarela (pt); serin du Mozambique (fr); canario de Mozambique (es); Mosambikgirlitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is native from sub-Saharan Africa, from southern Mauritania to Ethiopia and south to Angola, Botswana, Mozambique and eastern South Africa. They are popular cage birds and have been introduced to many areas around human settlements around the globe, namely Haiti, Puerto Rico, São Tomé, Mafia island, Mauritius and Réunion.

Size:
These birds are 11-13 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-23 cm. They weigh 8,5-17 g.

Habitat:
The yellow-fronted canary is mostly found in dry, open savannas, namely Acacia, Burkea and miombo, also using grasslands, coastal scrublands, mangroves, sand dunes, pastures and agricultural areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.300 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seeds, of both wild plants and domestic crops such as sorghum, millet and sunflowers. They also eat some flowers and leaves, nectar, and some insects such as termites, aphids, fly larvae, caterpillars and grasshoppers.

Breeding:
Yellow-fronted canaries generally breed during the local wet season. They are socially monogamous and territorial, although in some cases several pairs nest in the same tree. The female builds the nest, a small deep cup of tendrils, bark fibres, leaf petioles, seeds, dry grasses and sometimes pieces of string, bound with spider web and lined with rootlets and plant down. It is typically placed in a fork in a scrub, tree or creeper, roughly 1-8 m above ground.The female lays 2-5 eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by the female while the male collects the food, fledging 16-24 days after hatching, but only becoming independent some 6 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common to locally abundant. The population is suspected to be in decline as a result of capture for the cage bird trade.

European goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Photo by Franck Renard (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
European goldfinch (en); pintassilgo-comum (pt); chardonneret élégant (fr); jilguero (es); stieglitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found throughout most of Europe, from the Mediterranean to southern Scandinavia, including the British Isles, and east into central Asia as far east as western Mongolia and China and northern India. It is also found in northern Africa along the Mediterranean coast. The European goldfinch has been introduced to southern Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay, Cape Verde and Bermuda.

Size:
These birds are 12-13,5 cm long and have a wingspan of 21-25 cm. They weigh 14-19 g.

Habitat:
The European goldfinch is found in a wide range of habitats, including temperate forests, grasslands, scrublands, freshwater wetlands, pastures and arable land, orchards and also urban areas.

Diet:
They feed on the seeds of various grasses and herbs, namely  teasels, thistels, knapweeds, groundsels, ragworts and dandelions.

Breeding:
European goldfinches breed in April-July. They nest in a cup made of moss, grass and lichen, and lined with wool and plant down. The nest is placed on an outer branch of a leafy tree or scrub, often in a garden, orchard or hedgerow. The re the female lays 3-7 pale blue eggs with reddish markings, which she incubates alone for 10-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-18 days after hatching. Each pair raises 2-3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 73,5-348 million individuals, although this estimate requires further validation. The population has had a stable trend in Europe over the last 3 decades.

Black rosy finch

Leucosticte atrata

(Photo from Planet of Birds)

Common name:
black rosy finch (en); tentelhão-rosado negro (pt); roselin noir (fr); pinzón rosado negro (es); rosenbauch-schneegimpel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the western United States, breeding in Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and marginally in Oregon and Nevada. Outside the breeding season they wander a bit further into Colorado, northern New Mexico and north-eastern California.

Size:
These birds are 14-16 cm long and have a wingspan of 33 cm. They weigh 22-32 g.

Habitat:
The black rosy finch is found in high-altitude grasslands and alpine rocks, also using desert areas during the winter. They are found at altitudes of 3.000-4.500 m.

Diet:
The feed on the seeds of grasses and weeds, which are supplemented with insects during the summer.

Breeding:
Black rosy finches breed in June-August. The nest is a bulky cup made of grasses, moss, and sometimes feathers mixed with grass and animal hair. It is placed in a crevice or hole in a cliff, usually in an inaccessible place, or sometimes in a niche among boulders of a rock slide. There the female lays 3-6 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 20 days after hatching, only becoming fully independent 2 weeks later. Each pair raises a single brood per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 20.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Purple finch

Carpodacus purpureus

Photo by Simon Barrette (Wikipedia)

Common name:
purple finch (en); peito-rosado-púrpura (pt); roselin pourpré (fr); carpodaco morado (es); purpurgimpel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This North American species is found breeding in southern and western Canada, along the west coast of the United States down to southern California and in the north-eastern United States. The more northern population migrate south to winter in the eastern half of the United States and along the Pacific coast down to northern Mexico.

Size:
These birds are 12-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 22-26 cm. They weigh 20-35 g.

Habitat:
The purple finch is found in coneferous and mixed forests, as well as in parks and gardens within urban areas, orchards, pastures and arable land.

Diet:
They mainly feed on seeds and buds, but will also eat insects and berries during spring and summer. They are known to eat the seeds and buds of elms Ulmus sp., tuliptree Liriodendron  tulipifera, maples Acer sp., sweet gum Liquidambar  styraciflua, sycamores Platanus sp., ash Fraxinus sp., red cedar Juniperus virginiana, juniper Juniperus communis and mountain ash Sorbus sp.

Breeding:
Purple finches breed in April-August. They are monogamous and the female build the nest alone. The nest is a cup made of twigs, roots and dry grasses, and lined with fine rootlets, hairs and moss. It is placed on an horizontal branch of a conifer, usually far from the trunk and 2-20 m above the ground. The female lays 4-6 pale greenish-blue eggs with brown or black speckles, which are incubated by the female for 13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-16 days after hatching. Each pair raises a single brood per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 3 million individuals. The population is undergoing a small decline, especially in the eastern parts of their range where the rate of decline reaches 1-2,5 % per year. The decline is most likely due to competition by introduced house finches Carpodacus mexicanus and house sparrows Passer domesticus.

Hooded siskin

Carduelis magellanica

Common name:
hooded siskin (en); pintassilgo-de-cabeça-preta (pt); chardonneret de Magellan (fr); cabecitanegra común (es); Magellanzeisig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This South American species is found in central Venezuela, through eastern Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and into central and southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 10-14 cm long and weigh 11-15 g.

Habitat:
The hooded siskin is found in dry woodlands and savannas, temperate forests, scrublands, grasslands and plantations, from sea level up to an altitude of 5.000 m.

Diet:
The forage both on the ground and in the vegetation, mainly eating the seeds, buds and leaves of several plant species such as thistles and Lactuca. They also eat some insetcs.

Breeding:
Hooded siskins breed in October-June. The nest is a small cup made by the female with fine plant materials. It is placed on a tall tree-top. There the female lays 2-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-13 days while the male brings her food. The chicks are mainly fed by the female, while the male gathers the food, and fledge about 14 days after hatching. They continue to rely on their parents for a few days after fledging.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

European greenfinch

Carduelis chloris

Photo by J. Romãozinho (Pescador de Aves)

Common name:
European greenfinch (en); verdilhão (pt); verdier d'Europe (fr); verderón común (es); grünfink (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
This species is found throughout most of Europe, with the exception of northern Scandinavia, northern Russia and Iceland. They are also found in north-west Africa, from Morocco to Tunisia, and in near Asia, from Turkey, Israel and Jordan, through northern Iran and into southern Kazakhstan. Some of the more northern populations migrate south to winter around the Mediterranean Sea. The European greenfinch was also introduced to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand.

Size:
These birds are 14-16 cm long and have a wingspan of 25-28 cm. They weigh 25-30 g.

Habitat:
The European greenfinch is found in open woodlands, temperate and boreal forests, scrublands, pastures, arable land, plantations and in parks and gardens within urban areas.

Diet:
They mainly feed on seeds, using their powerful bill to break them open, but also take buds, berries, and even some insects during the breeding season.

Breeding:
The European greenfinch breeds in April-August. They are territorial, solitary nesters, but sometimes form loose colonies. The nest is a bulky cup made of dried grasses and moss, and lined with plant fibres, rootlets, fur, feathers and wool.It is placed in a fork in a tree, not very far from the ground. There the female lays 4-6 glossy pale blue or creamy white eggs with reddish markings. The eggs are incubated by female for 13-15 days, while the male provides her with food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 16-18 days after hatching. Each pair  raises 2-3 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 44,7-128 million individuals. In Europe, the populations has undergone a moderate decline since 1980, but the species is not threatened at present.

Pine grosbeak

Pinicola enucleator

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:
pine grosbeak (en); pintarroxo-de-bico-grosso (pt); dubec des sapins (fr); camachuelo picogrueso (es); hakengimpel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae

Range:
These birds are widely distributed in the northern parts of America and Eurasia, being found in Alaska, Canada and the northern United States, as well as Scandinavia, Russia, Mongolia, north-eastern China and northern Japan.

Size:
They are 20-25 cm long and have a wingspan of 32-35 cm. They weigh 52-78 g.

Habitat:
During the breeding season pine grosbeaks are found in open sub-Arctic and boreal forests, especially in areas dominated by conifers, but also in mixed forests. Outside the breeding season they are also found in agricultural areas and even within urban areas.

Diet:
They feed on the seeds, buds and fruits of mountain ash, ash trees, box elder, juniper and spruce, also taking Rowan berries in winter. During the breeding season they hunt insects to feed the nestlings.

Breeding:
Pine grosbeaks breed in May-July. The female builds the nest, a loosely built cup made of twigs and dwarf shrub stems, lined with root fibre, straw, reindeer hair and moss fragments. There she lays 2-5 pale blue eggs with dark-brown, purple and black markings. The eggs are incubated by the female alone for 13-14 days, while the male provides her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at over 4 million individuals. The population in North America has undergone a large decline of over 25% per decade over the last 4 decades, but the species is not considered threatened at present.

Scottish crossbill

Loxia scotica

Photo by David Whitaker (Wild Photo Forum)

Common name:
Scottish crossbill (en); cruza-bico-escocês (pt); bec-croisé d'Écosse (fr); piquituerto escocés (es); Schottland-kreuzschnabel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae


Range:
This species is endemic to the Caledonian Forests of Scotland, in the eastern Highlands, with core areas in Nairn, Moray and Banff, extending down into lower Deeside, and in Sutherland.


Size:
These birds are 16 cm long and weigh 40-45 g.


Habitat:
The Scottish crossbill is found in semi-natural stands of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and in conifer plantations.

Diet:

They mainly feed on pine seeds, but will also eat shoots and buds. In spring they also eat insects, namely pine sawfly Neodiprion sertifer.

Breeding:

Scottish crossbills breed in February-June. The cup-shaped nest is made of twigs, grasses, straws and lichen, and lined with moss, feather and animal fur. The nest is usually placed in a pine tree, 5-15 m above the ground. The female lays 2-6 eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days while receivinf food from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge  about 3 weeks after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for another 10 days.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Although this species has a small breeding range and a global population of just 13.600 individuals, the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. Suitable semi-natural habitats have been much reduced and fragmented in the past, but the amount of plantation woodland has increased substantially during the 20th century, so the Scottish crossbill is not considered threatened at present.

Yellow-billed grosbeak

Eophona migratoria

Photo by Tim Edelsten (Birds Korea)

Common name:
yellow-billed grosbeak (en); bico-grossudo-chinês (pt); gros-bec migrateur (fr); pepitero de cola negra (es); weißhand-Kernbeißer (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae


Range:
These birds breed in south-eastern Russia, Korea, Mongolia and eastern China, and migrate south to winter in southern China and Taiwan, in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.


Size:
The yellow-billed grosbeak is 16-18 cm long and weighs 40-50 g.


Habitat:
They are mostly found in temperate forests, both coniferous, deciduous and mixed. They can also be found in bamboo thickets, scrublands, plantations, gardens and parks.


Diet:
They mostly eat seeds of various trees and scrubs, but are also known to eat bamboo leaves and the chicks are mostly fed insects during the nestling period.


Breeding:
Yellow-billed grosbeaks breed in May-October. The nest cup is made of twigs and roots and placed in a fork in a tree or scrub. There the female lays 3-5 bluish eggs with brown markings, which she incubates alone for 11-13 days. The chicks fledge 10-14 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2-3 weeks later. 


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as locally common, scarce or irregular. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Eurasian linnet

Carduelis cannabina

Photo by Anne van der  Wal (Flickr)

Common name:
Eurasian linnet (en); pintarroxo-comum (pt); linotte mélodieuse (fr); pardillo común (es); bluthänfling (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Fringillidae


Range:
These birds are found throughout most of Europe, in North Africa, and into Asia as far as western Siberia, western China and northern Afghanistan.


Size:
Eurasian linnets are 13-14 cm long and have a wingspan of 23 cm. They weigh 15-20 g.


Habitat:
They are mostly associated with farmland areas, but occur in weedy fields, hedgerows, orchards, heathland, scrubland, grassland, saltmarshes, gardens and parks.


Diet:
They mostly eat the seeds of various herbs and trees, including polygonums, crucifers, chickweeds, dandelions, thistle, sow-thistle, mayweed, common groundsel, common hawthorn and birch. They also eat small insects, especially aphids.


Breeding:
Eurasian linnets are monogamous. They breed in April-June and both sexes build the nest, a thick cup made of dry grass , weed stems and moss, lined with animal hair , wool or fine roots. The nest is placed in a dense hedge, scrub or thorny tree. There the female lays 4-7 white or bluish-green eggs with red-brown spots. The female incubates the eggs alone for 11-13 days while being fed by the male. The chicks are fed by the female, but the male is responsible for collecting the food. They fledge 12-14 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2 weeks later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 40-150 million individuals. Populations in Europe have undergone a moderate decline over the last 3 decades, but the species is not threatened at present.

European serin

Serinus serinus

Photo by Rosa Gambóias (Flickr)

Common name:

European serin (en); chamariz (pt); serin cini (fr); verdecillo (es); girlitz (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Fringillidae

Range:

The European serin breeds across continental Europe and all around the Mediterranean basin, from the Iberian peninsula and Morocco all the way to Israel. They are mostly absent from Scandinavia and the British Isles. The populations in central and northern Europe are migratory, wintering in southern Europe and northern Africa.

Size:

These birds are 11-12 cm long and have a wingspan of 20-22 cm. They weigh 11-13 g.

Habitat:

They are found in open woodlands, plantations and forests, generally preferring broadleaf forests, but also occurring in coniferous forests. They are also found in gardens, parks and sometimes in scrubland areas.

Diet:

They mostly feed on the seeds and buds of a wide variety of plants, including wild herbs, flowers, bushes and trees. During the summer they also eat insects, namely aphids.

Breeding:

European serins breed in March-May. The female buids the small cup-shaped nest using fine twigs, small roots , skinny stems , leaf veins , flower spikes of grasses, flowering heads of herbs, green moss and plant fibres. The nest is well hidden in a dense bush or tree. There the female lays 3-5 greenish or bluish eggs with red-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 11-13 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks fledge 13-18 days after hatching. Each pair typically raises 2 broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 30-80 million individuals. in some countries the populations have undergone a moderate decline in the last few decades, but overall this species is not threatened.