|
|
|
Brambling
(Fringilla montifringilla)
: "Mountain Finch", "Cock o' the North"
 German name(s): "Bergfink", "Nordfink"
Size: 14-16 cm
Weight: 17-30 g
|
|
 |
Similar species |
|
|
 |
Physical description |
|
 Click here for a physical description
Bramblings are medium-sized finches. Their
plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different. In addition,
Male
Bramblings have different
breeding and
eclipse
plumages.
Breeding males
have a glossy-black head, nape of the neck and back. Throat, chin,
chest and shoulders are orange, while belly, vent and undertail coverts
are white, with grey specks on the flanks.
The upperwings are
cryptic,
with a charcoal base and white/orange bars and pale-orange
edge lining on the flight feathers.
In eclipse
head, nape of the neck and back lose their glossy black lustre
and turn scalloped grey/dark-grey.
Females
have duller colours; in particular, their upperparts,
head and neck are more brownish-grey to rusty-buff than those of
males.
The irises of both sexes are dark. The bill is triangular. During the
breeding
season males
have a black bill, while in
eclipse
they - and
females -
have a yellow bill with a dark-grey tip.
The legs and feet of
breeding males
are grey, while in eclipse they are pinkish-grey. Females also have
pinkish-grey legs and feet.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See Brambling
at Wikipedia  .
|
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Brambling is available
HERE
.
Bramblings are a strongly migratory Eurasian species.
They breed in the northern parts of Europe and Asia,
roughly above 55 degrees latitude, except the northern
coastal fringe, with some reports from the Aleutian
islands and the coastal fringe of Alaska.
They overwinter in all of western, central and southern
Europe, coastal North-west Africa, most of Asia Minor,
around the Caucasus mountain range and in moderate to
subtropical Asia, as far to the East as Korea and Japan.
During migration they can be found anywhere in between.
In Europe Bramblings have their breeding grounds
northward of a line connecting Oslo with Tallinn,
with the exception of southernmost Finland and
the far northern coastal fringe.
They spend the winters anywhere to the South-west
of a line connecting northern Scotland with northern
Denmark and the Caucasus mountains.
Anywhere in between they can be found during migration.
During the breeding season Bramblings have a preference
for relatively open upland birch woodland or coniferous
forest with some deciduous trees mixed in.
In winter they are more flexible and go where there is
sufficient food, i.e. seeds.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
M. Eaton reports spotting Bramblings
at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
ADULT |
|
 |
MALE |
|
 |
BREEDING |
|
Near-frontal view of a male Brambling in breeding
plumage;
note the black head and bill - the greyish parts may
indicate that it is starting to moult into its non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
 |
NON-BREEDING |
|
Near-dorsal view of a male Brambling in non-breeding
plumage;
note the scalloping on the back and the grey around
the nape of the neck
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
In some years Bramblings form enormous flocks, with numbers
ranging in the millions reported e.g. in 2009.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
