Bird
Common Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsAlso known as Eurasian Chaffinch, Chaffinch
Common chaffinches forage extensively on woodland floors and beneath garden bird feeders, hopping actively while picking up fallen seeds and small invertebrates. Males deliver a brisk, descending musical trill ending in a distinctive flourish, ringing out from high tree branches throughout the spring breeding season. In autumn, vast flocks migrate southwards across Europe, often traveling in single-sex groups that inspired Carl Linnaeus to name them 'coelebs', meaning bachelor.
SongbirdGranivoreWoodland
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyBeechmast, Caterpillars, Spruce Seeds
Predators
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Domestic Cat
- Tawny Owl
ThreatsTrichomonosis disease outbreaks, agricultural intensification, and predation by domestic cats
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous woodlands, parks, farmland, and gardens
Life span3–5 years in the wild
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyFringillidae
- GenusFringilla
- SpeciesFringilla coelebs
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Ground Feeding: Scatter sunflower hearts or mixed seed on open lawn areas to attract them.
- Field ID: Look for conspicuous double white wing bars and white outer tail feathers in flight.
Predator (c) Stanislav Murashkin, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Stanislav Murashkin · cc-by
Frequent Companion (c) Arjan Haverkamp, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Francesco Cecere · cc0
Same Family Martin Kunz / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
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