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European GreenfinchAlternate name(s): "Greenfinch" ![]() Size: 14-16 cm; wing span 24.5-27.5 cm Weight: 20-31 g |
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Photos |
Race "chloris"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Frontal view of a male European Greenfinch with ruffled feathers
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Near-frontal view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, February 2018]
Near-frontal view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Near-frontal view of a preening male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Lateral view of a male European Greenfinch visiting a bird
feeder (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, February 2018]
Lateral view of a male European Greenfinch visiting a bird
feeder (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, February 2018]
Pair of European Greenfinches in bright sunshine; male in front,
female at the back (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
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FEMALE |
Near-lateral view of a female European Greenfinch feeding
in melting snow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2017]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch feeding
on snow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2017]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Near-dorsal view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Dorsal view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2017]
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PAIR |
Pair of European Greenfinches in bright sunshine; male right,
female left (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Pair of European Greenfinches in bright sunshine; male right,
female left (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Pair of European Greenfinches in overcast conditions; male right,
female left (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Race "muehlei"
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
Near-lateral view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Split, Croatia, September 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Split, Croatia, September 2019]
Race "vanmarli"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]
Frontal/ventral view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2020]
Near-frontal view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2020]
Lateral view of a male European Greenfinch feeding on the ground
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2018]
Lateral view of a moulting(?) male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2014]
Lateral/ventral view of a male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a preening male European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female European Greenfinch feeding on the ground
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2015]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a moulting female European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]
Sex unknown |
Flock of European Greenfinches
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2014]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile European Greenfinch; note the striation
down the front
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2017]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2020]
Female, right, feeding a dependent juvenile European Greenfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2014]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Mar - July | Eggs: 3 - 6 | Incubation period: 13 - 14 days | Fledging age: 16 - 18 days |
The length and duration of the breeding season depends a lot on geographical latitude and climatic conditions. The period listed in the table above applies to central Europe. Also incubation and fledging times depend on external circumstances. In the southern parts of their range, European Greenfinches can have 2-3 broods per season.
Chicks leave the nest at about 13 days of age, but are not able to fly yet.
Nest building: Female | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
Type: Basket | Material: Twigs, grass, feathers, plant down | Height above ground: 1 - 3(?) m |
View into an European Greenfinch nest in a dense shrub
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]
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Eggs |
Size: 21 x 14 mm | Colour: Pale-blue, with reddish-brown speckles | Shape: Elliptical |
Closer look at the eggs in the European Greenfinch nest shown above
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]
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Behaviour |
European Greenfinches are quite shy and can be relatively hard to approach.
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Food, Diet |
Like all finches known to us, European Greenfinches are primarily seed-eaters.
Note that cardueline finches (i.e. European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch, Eurasian Siskin and their close relatives) feed their young primarily regurgitated seeds, while fringilline finches (all others) feed their young primarily invertebrates.
Male European Greenfinch in the land of seeds aplenty
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, river Bug, Masovia, Poland, June 2016]
Male European Greenfinch foraging on the ground
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch feeding on the seeds
of a thistle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2017]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch feeding on the seeds
of a thistle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2017]
Lateral view of a female European Greenfinch taking seeds
(sunflower kernels) from a bird feeder
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, January 2016]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
grfinch_dw_20160613_1.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Contact call? | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20190323.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Pair Q&A | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20160613.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Pair Q&A | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20180414.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Territorial calls? (male, break of dawn) | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20160613_2.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Various (pair) | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20180414_2.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
Various (female) | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20200604_2.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
? | © DW | |
grfinch_dw_20200604_3.m4a |
chloris (Poland) |
? | © DW | |
grfinch_jp_20200531.m4a |
vanmarli (Portugal) |
Various (+ Spanish Sparrow) |
© JP | |
grfinch_jp_20180409.m4a |
vanmarli (Portugal) |
? | © JP |
More European Greenfinch sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.