looduskalender.ee

Brambling

 

 

Maybe some tens of brambling pairs nest in Estonia, in bog forests. As passing migrants they are common, a few stay to overwinter.

 

A little larger than chaffinches, with a longer tail; more colourful specimens are seen in the migrant flocks. The chest and shoulders of bramblings are always orange, the rump area white. Similar to chaffinches they have a contrasting white wing streak. The male’s head and back in summer plumage are bluish black, in autumn this colour is covered by greyish-brown down tips. See Arne’s photo of the male.

 

The plumages of females and juveniles are considerably more modest – back plumage mottled, belly yellowish, head streaked. Length 15 centimetres and weight 20-30 grams.

 

 Brambling

 

Brambling observations: LINK