Scientific name: Carduelis flavirostris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Finches and Crossbills
Field characters. 13.5 cm. Resembles Linnet and Common Redpoll. Both sexes are brown with streaks on head, upperparts, breast and flanks. Flight feathers and tail feathers are dark with white edges, forming light wing patch as in Linnet, and has two inconspicuous wing bars. Bill usually yellow, belly white. Male has pink rump. Outside breeding season in flocks, sometimes with other finches. Flight undulating and 'jumpy'.
Voice. Call twittering 'tjètjètjè', resembling Redpoll, but admixed with characteristic nasal rising 'chweeet'. Song is mixture of calls and resembles Linnet.
Distribution. Rather common breeding bird in north-western parts of region. In winter locally common in north-west, rare more to the south.
Habitat. In summer found in open, windy, well vegetated coastal plains and mountains. In winter usually in open fields, coastal marshes, dunes, but also more inland on arable fields and wasteland.
Food. Mainly seeds, also insects. Feeds only on the ground or in top of low weeds.