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Greenfinch Carduelis chloris   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Carduelidae
BTO Codes: GR , GREFI EURING No: 16490
Number in Britain: 695 thousand 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, Winter Visitor
Subspecies: chloris recorded in Britain (of 10 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 15 cm Wingspan: 26 cm Weight: M/F: 28 g    
Scientific name from: L.: carduelis=the goldfinch and Gr.: khloris=the greenfinch (from khloros=green)
World Distribution: Europe, Near East, n Africa
Habitat: Open woodland, farmland, gardens
Diet: Large seeds incl. rose-hips, cereal grain, some invertebrates, esp for nestlings
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 695 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: 1532 [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Villages
    Also common in: Towns
    And found in: Arable Farmland, Pasture Farmland
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 13 to 30 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(III), Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Garden BirdWatch
Winter Farmland Bird Survey
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 20 x 15 mm Egg Weight: 2.2 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 190
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs 4.72 ± 0.74 (2 - 7) N = 3438
Incubation: 14 - 15 days 13.70 ± 1.42 (11 - 17) N = 3437 by the: Female
Fledging: 14 - 16 days 14.92 ± 2.12 (11 - 19) N = 3724 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 10 May (5 Apr - 5 Jul)
Number of Broods: 2
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 47593
Adult Survival: 0.443 Juvenile Survival: 0.416 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 12yr0m
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Biometrics
Ring Size: B
Wing Length Adult: 87.7 ± 4.2 Range 84 - 91 mm, N =118743
Juvenile: 87.5 ± 2.2 84 - 91 mm, N =72205
Male: 88.8 ± 4.1 86 - 92 mm, N =65831
Female: 86.3 ± 4.0 83 - 89 mm, N =52565
Weight Adult: 27.66 ± 4.06 Range 24.70 - 30.90 g , N =96718
Juvenile: 27.73 ± 2.87 25.00 - 30.70 g , N =55415
Male: 27.53 ± 3.63 24.60 - 30.60 g , N =53386
Female: 27.82 ± 4.54 . 24.90 - 31.10 g , N =43027
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
European Greenfinch
Gaelic: Glaisean-daraich Welsh: Llinos Werdd
Danish: Grřnirisk Dutch: Groenling
Finnish: Viherpeippo French: Verdier
German: Grünling Hungarian: Zöldike
Icelandic: Grćnfinka Irish: Glasán Darach
Italian: Verdone Norwegian: Grřnnfink
Polish: Dzwoniec Portuguese: Verdilhăo-comum
Spanish: Verderón Swedish: Grönfink
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Newton, I. 1972 The finches Collins, London [598.982 NEW]
See Also:
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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BirdWeb logo, click to go to BirdWeb BirdFacts home | BTO Home
Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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