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Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Fringillidae
BTO Codes:
CH , CHAFF
EURING No:
16360
Number in Britain:
5.6 million territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
gengleri (R), coelebs (W) recorded in Britain (of 18 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
14 cm
Wingspan:
26 cm
Weight:
M/F: 24 g
Scientific name from:
L.: fringilla from Gr.: phrugilos =a sparrow described by Aristophanes
and L.: caelebs =unmarried
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Europe, n Africa, nw Asia, WINTERS: south to s Asia, INTRODUCED: South Africa, New Zealand
Habitat:
Forest, woodland, farmland
Diet:
Summer, invertebrates, otherwise mostly seeds, widest diet of the finches
TitBit:
The Latin name of this bird, coelebs, deriving from the Latin from bachelor, was given by Linnaeus, who saw only male chaffinches in his native Sweden, females from its northern breeding grounds winter further south
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
5.6 million territories
in 2000
First Record:
7th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Coniferous Wood
Also common in:
Scrub, Arable Farmland, Pasture Farmland, Villages, Deciduous Wood
And found in:
Towns
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
80 to 160 million pairs
(Trend in Numbers )
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(III), WBD(I*), Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
19 x 15 mm
Egg Weight:
2.2 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
462
Clutch Size:
4 - 5 eggs
4.27 ± 0.78 (2 - 8) N = 3103
Incubation:
12 - 13 days
12.28 ± 1.69 (9 - 16) N = 3103
by the:
Female
Fledging:
13 - 16 days
14.12 ± 2.00 (10 - 17) N = 4437
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
30 Apr (12 Apr - 30 May)
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
30035
Adult Survival:
0.589
Juvenile Survival:
0.531 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
3
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
11yr7m
(The Netherlands: 14yr 0m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
A
Wing Length
Adult:
85.0 ± 3.8
Range
79 - 91 mm, N =86590
Juvenile:
83.9 ± 3.4
79 - 89 mm, N =38754
Male:
87.6 ± 2.8
83 - 92 mm, N =46586
Female:
82.1 ± 2.4
78 - 86 mm, N =39832
Weight
Adult:
21.81 ± 3.65
Range
19.00 - 25.20 g , N =69727
Juvenile:
21.47 ± 3.05
18.70 - 24.50 g , N =31248
Male:
22.60 ± 2.61
20.00 - 25.80 g , N =37080
Female:
20.90 ± 4.38 .
18.50 - 23.70 g , N =32509
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Gaelic:
Breacan-beithe
Welsh:
Ji-binc
Danish:
Bogfinke
Dutch:
Vink
Finnish:
Peippo
French:
Pinson des arbres
German:
Buchfink
Hungarian:
Erdei pinty
Icelandic:
Bókfinka
Irish:
Rí Rua
Italian:
Fringuello
Norwegian:
Bokfink
Polish:
Zieba
Portuguese:
Tentilhăo-comum
Spanish:
Pinzón común
Swedish:
Bofink
Local Names: Pink, Shelfie
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Newton, I. 1972 The finches Collins, London
[598.982 NEW]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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