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24

Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) Alternate name(s): "Eurasian Linnet" German name(s): "Hänfling", "Bluthänfling" Size: 12.5-14 cm; wing span 21-25.5 cm Weight: 12-22 g

Europe: Family Group 24 Family Group 24 Table White Wagtail Western Yellow Wagtail Grey Wagtail Tawny Pipit Red-throated Pipit Tree Pipit Meadow Pipit Water Pipit Eurasian Rock Pipit Greater Short-toed Lark Calandra Lark Woodlark Eurasian Skylark Bearded Reedling House Sparrow Tree Sparrow Spanish Sparrow Rock Sparrow Trumpeter Finch European Serin Atlantic Canary Red-fronted Serin Eurasian Siskin Common Redpoll Arctic Redpoll Common Linnet Brambling Common Chaffinch European Goldfinch Eurasian Bullfinch Hawfinch Common Crossbill Common Rosefinch Yellowhammer Cirl Bunting Common Reed Bunting Ortolan Bunting Black-headed Bunting Corn Bunting Rock Bunting House Bunting Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Common Linnetes are medium-sized finches. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Common Linnets have a prominent red forehead and also the breast, in particular the sides of the breast, are bright-red. Outside the breeding season the colours can fade, but they do not entirely lose these features. The rest of the head is grey, with lighter-grey eye-rings than the rest of the head. The throat is light-grey, streaked with darker grey. The belly is off-white, with slightly pinkish flanks. Vent and undertail coverts are grey. The wings are dark-grey with wide brown edge lining. Only the flight feathers, which are very dark grey, have white outer edges. The uppertail is also dark grey, with white outer edges, while the undertail is light-grey. Female Common Linnets have a much plainer plumage than males. Their throat is the same light-grey, streaked with darker grey as the males', but they lack the red feathers on breast and forehead, which are light-brown, streaked with darker brown instead. The belly, vent and undertail coverts are off-white to buffish grey. The back and wings are grey-brown, lightly streaked with grey. Flight feathers and the tail are like the males'. The irises of both sexes are brown. The bill is grey and the legs and feet are also grey. Juveniles generally resemble females, but with more prominent facial markings, a light-grey bill and more streaking on the front.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Linnet at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Linnet is available HERE . There are 7 races of Common Linnets, four of which have limited ranges (one in Scotland, one in Maderia and two in the Canary Islands). The remaining three have much wider distributions. Nominate race "cannabina", which is also found in western and central Siberia, is most widespread in Europe. In addition, there are the (largely sedentary) Mediterranean race "mediterranea" and the Asian race "bella". In Europe race "cannabina" has a range encompassing the western, central and northern parts of the continent. The European birds of this race from the northern part of their range (southern Scandinavia, Poland and farther eastward) migrate southward outside the breeding season to spend the northern winters in North Africa. Race "mediterranea" populates Iberia, Italy, Greece and the Mediterranean islands. Common Linnets have a preference for open country with scattered shrubs and trees, but are also found in heather and in gardens and orchards. Outside the breeding season they are often found on fallow fields, stubble and wasteland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "cannabina" M. Thomas reports spotting a pair of Common Linnets, nominate race "cannabina", in the township of Eltville, Hessen, Germany, in April 2014. H. Dahlem-Senger reports finding a pair of Common Linnets, race "cannabina", nesting at the same location in the time frame April-July 2016. Since then a pair has returned to the same location every year for the breeding season. D. Wilczynska reports spotting Common Linnets, race "cannabina", near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, in the time frame May-July 2016. H. Dahlem-Senger reports finding Common Linnets, race "cannabina", at Naturschutzgebiet (Nature Reserve) Wallnau/Fehmarn, on the German Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn, Germany, in June 2018, where they were nesting at the time. G. Normand found a Common Linnet, race "cannabina", near Vannes, Bretagne, France, in August 2020. H. Dahlem-Senger also found Common Linnets, race "cannabina", at Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, in June 2021. Race "mediterranea" Both J. Pires and G. Pinelas report finding Common Linnets, race "mediterranea", regularly in various locations in southern/central Portugal. M. Eaton spotted a Common Linnet, race "mediterranea", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019.

Photos

Race "cannabina"

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Frontal view of a Common Linnet (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

Frontal view of a Common Linnet (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

Frontal view of a male Common Linnet in spring (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Linnet in spring (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Linnet; this is one of the bird whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2020]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2014]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet; this is one of the bird whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2020]

Dorsal view of a male Common Linnet (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2016]

Male Common Linnet, right, in comparison with a male European Serin; note that the Common Linnet, although small, is a bit bigger than the European Serin (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

This male Common Linnet, left, is dwarfed by the male Common Blackbird (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

Partly obscured near-lateral view of a female Common Linnet in spring (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2021]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a female Common Linnet looking down from a roof top (photos courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2022]

Lateral view of a female Common Linnet on a rocky shore (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Near Vannes, Bretagne, France, August 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Linnet looking back at the observer
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Common Linnet; this is one of the bird whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2020]

PAIR

Frontal view of a pair of Common Linnets; these are the birds whose calls were recorded on 10 April 2020
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2020]

Frontal/ventral view of a pair of Common Linnets - male above, female below
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, July 2016]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a fledgling Common Linnet; note the bolder pattern on the cheeks compared to a female, the pale-grey lower mandible of the bill and the copious streaking on the front (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2017]

Lateral view of a fledgling Common Linnet (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2017]

Race "mediterranea"

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Partly obscured near-frontal view of a male Common Linnet in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Linnet in partial breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Linnet in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Linnet in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2017]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet in breeding plumage collecting material for lining its nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet in worn breeding plumage, with, for comparison, an European Goldfinch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2017]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Near-lateral view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage; in the drooping wing one can see clearly the white edge lining of the flight feathers (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a male Common Linnet in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2014]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Near-frontal view of a female Common Linnet looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2021]

Near-frontal view of a female Common Linnet looking sideways (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Near-lateral view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Lateral view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Lateral view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Espichel, Sesimbra, Portugal, February 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, April 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2020]

Dorsal view of a female Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, April 2017]

PAIR

BREEDING

(Near-)lateral view of a pair of Common Linnets; male in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Espichel, Sesimbra, Portugal, February 2020]

Family clan of Common Linnets in a dormant tree (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal, February 2017]

Common Linnets, including males in full breeding plumage preening collectively (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile male(?) Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile(?) Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile(?) Common Linnet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Aug?

Eggs: 4 - 7

Incubation period: 10 - 14 days

Fledging age: 11 - 17 days

Common Linnets can have more than one clutch per year. The values listed in the table above for the incubation period and fledging age are reproduced from an unverified online resource. Both periods may depend on climatic/weather/geographic conditions. In the case presented here, the development of the chicks must have been at the lower limit of those ranges. 3 eggs were found in the nest on 29 April 2017 and the first fledgling was observed on 17 May 2017. Assuming that one egg is laid per day, this leaves 21 days for the first chick from egg-laying to fledging. These would most likely correspond to 10 days of incubation and 11 days from hatching to fledging.

Nest building: Female

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Grass stems, grass fibre, wool, rootlets

Height above ground: 1 - 5? m

Common Linnet nest in a dense shrub (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Dense ornamental shrub chosen by a pair of Common Linnets for nesting, right next to human traffic
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Female Common Linnet collecting nesting material (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Female Common Linnet collecting nesting material (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Pair of Common Linnets observing their nest on the day before the first chick fledged (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2017]

Pair of Common Linnets observing their nest on the day before the first chick fledged
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2017]

Female Common Linnet collecting nesting material (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Naturschutzgebiet Wallnau/Fehmarn, Fehmarn, Germany, June 2018]

This prickly rose bush is where a pair of Common Linnets built their nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Naturschutzgebiet Wallnau/Fehmarn, Fehmarn, Germany, June 2018]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 18 x 13 mm

Colour: White to pale-turquoise, with rust-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Common Linnet nest with 3 eggs in it (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Behaviour

Common Linnets adapt very well to the proximity of humans and will nest in people's gardens.

Common Linnets having a bath (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]

Food, Diet

Common Linnets feed on seeds, e.g grass seeds.

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.

Common Linnets feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2015]

Common Linnets having a drink (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2018]

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.

linnet_hds_20170422.mp3	cannabina (Germany)	Territorial calls (male)	© HDS
linnet_dw_20160728.m4a	cannabina (Poland)	Territorial calls (male)	© DW
linnet_dw_20160529.m4a	cannabina (Poland)	Territorial calls (male)	© DW
linnet_dw_20200611.m4a	cannabina (Poland)	Pair Q&A	© DW
linnet_dw_20200606.m4a	cannabina (Poland)	Pair Q&A	© DW
linnet_hds_20200410.m4a	cannabina (Germany)	Pair Q&A	© HDS
linnet_hds_20200410_2.m4a	cannabina (Germany)	Warning calls	© HDS
linnet_hds_20200410_3.m4a	cannabina (Germany)	Warning/departure	© HDS
linnet_dw_20160613.m4a	cannabina (Poland)	Various	© DW
linnet_jp_20200517.m4a	mediterranea (Portugal)	Various	© JP

More Common Linnet sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Sat, 3 December 2022, 20:40 +00:00