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In the morning the greenfinches arrive to the birdfeeder to ”spend time”. Sunflower seeds are eaten in place: the seeds are calmly turned around in the beak to get the shells off – the strong beak of the greenfinches is just as if were made for the purpose. On lard or fat balls we never see greenfinches.

 

Their behaviour in a larger company of birds is somewhat quarrelsome, but to their own females they behave very respectfully –the ladies always take precedence, even in the queue to the birdfeeder. 

 

When the loud-voiced gang of tree sparrows arrives the squabble of the greenfinches calms down, they wait placidly in a shrub for their turn in the queue, then to snatch a seed quickly quite as the tits do. 

 

Greenfinch

 

The bright yellow wing streak catches attention first of all in greenfinches, and the brighter parrot-like plumage of the males. The plumage of the females seems duller: with brown bands, and the species characteristic, the wing streak, is narrower. Also note the tail shape of greenfinches – on the edges of the tails of the males yellow bands show that are only barely discernible in the females and young birds.  Iris dark brown, the tip of the thick beak a little darker; pink as well as yellow colours can be seen; feet pink too. Compare the characteristics with Arne’s photos.

 

They are not smaller than tree sparrows, rather larger: length 15 centimetres, weight around 30 grams.

 

In winter greenfinches move around in groups; if the gang is large, they swagger about at the bird feeder and on the ground among the other passerines. The winter number can be estimated at a couple of hundred thousand.

 

Greenfinch observations: LINK

 

Greenfinch