The finch (lat. Fringílla soelebs) is a beautiful songbird belonging to a fairly large family of finches and the order Passeriformes. One of the many songbirds of Europe has become very widespread in Asia and Mongolia, as well as in some places in North Africa.
Description of glare
Zyablik is a Russian folk, almost universal name for a bird.. The female of this species is usually called the chaffinch or chaffinch. The finch is also known as the chaffinch and the brambling, the chilly and chugunok, the chaffinch or the snigirik.
Appearance
The size of an adult finch is similar to the parameters of passerines, so the maximum body length does not exceed 14.5 cm, with an average wingspan of 24.5-28.5 cm. The weight of an adult is in the range of 15-40 g. The beak is quite long and sharp . The tail part is sharply notched, no more than 68-71 cm long. The plumage is thick and soft, with a very characteristic bright color.
Adult males have a bluish-gray head and neck, a black forehead, and a brownish-chestnut back with a grayish tint. The lumbar region is greenish-yellowish in color, with long grayish feathers on the rump. The lesser and middle wing coverts are white, while the greater wing coverts are characterized by black coloring with a white tip.
This is interesting! With the onset of the mating season, the beak of the male finch acquires a very original bluish color with a darker top, and in winter it has a brownish-pink color.
The flight wings are brown, with a white border on the outer webs. The entire lower part of the finch's body is distinguished by a pale wine-brownish-red color. Females of such representatives of the finch family have brownish-gray plumage below and brownish feathers in the upper part. The youngest individuals are characterized by a pronounced external resemblance to females. The female's iris is brown, and her beak has a typical horny color throughout the year.
Lifestyle and behavior
In the spring, the arrival of finches to the territory of the northern regions is observed starting from the second ten days of April, and the birds return to the central part of our country approximately in the second half of March. The southern regions are resounding with the voices of arriving finches already at the end of winter or in the first ten days of March.
In autumn, finches also go to winter at different times - from early September to mid-October. Finches migrate in fairly large flocks, often consisting of several hundred individuals. During the migration process, a large flock is capable of stopping for feeding in the areas being traversed, including the regions of the North Caucasus.
This is interesting! Finches are represented by a large number of subspecies, which differ in size, as well as beak length, plumage color and some behavioral features.
In the southern part of the range, finches belong to the category of sedentary, nomadic and wintering birds, and individuals living in the middle and northern parts are nesting and migratory representatives of the order Passeriformes. The southern borders of the range are inhabited by partially nesting and migratory, partially sedentary, wintering in the range and often nomadic finches.
How long do finches live?
In the wild, finches live on average for a couple of years, which is due to the peculiarities of the negative impact of many unfavorable external factors. In captivity, the officially registered average life expectancy of this unpretentious representative of the finch family is ten to twelve years.
Range, habitats
The usual distribution area for finches is represented by:
- Europe;
- northwestern Africa;
- western parts of Asia;
- parts of Sweden and Norway;
- some areas in Finland;
- British, Azores and Canary Islands;
- Madeira and Morocco;
- Algeria and Tunisia;
- territory of Asia Minor;
- Syria and northern Iran;
- part of the post-Soviet space.
A small number of individuals go for the winter to the north-eastern shores of the Caspian Sea, migrating to Iceland, the British or Faroe Islands. Typical habitats for the finch are very diverse. The main condition for this type of bird is the presence of all kinds of woody vegetation on the territory.
As a rule, finches settle in cultivated tree landscapes, represented by gardens, park areas and boulevards, as well as in light oak forests, birch, willow and pine groves. Very often, representatives of the finch family and the genus Finches can be found on deciduous and coniferous edges, in areas of floodplain and sparse forest zones, as well as in island-type forests in the steppe zone.
This is interesting! One of the most numerous birds in our country is characterized by living in forests and park areas of any type, often directly near human habitation.
Diet of zabliks
In the diet of representatives of the finch family and the genus Finches, the predominant positions are occupied by all kinds of insects. Based on numerous studies of the gastric contents of finches, it was possible to conclude that such birds also use weed seeds, various fruits and berries for food purposes.
Food of animal origin predominates in the diet of such birds from mid-spring to the last month of summer. Basically, finches feed on small beetles, actively destroying weevils, which are very dangerous forest pests.
Natural enemies
Despite the fact that in their natural habitat, finches are quite unpretentious and very hardy birds, not only the weather and climatic features of the area, but also the so-called disturbance factors during the nesting period have an extremely negative impact on the number of birds. Such factors include magpies, tawny owls, sparrowhawks, etc. There are known cases of the great spotted woodpecker attacking the nests of finches.
Reproduction and offspring
Finches return from wintering to their nesting sites as part of “same-sex” flocks. Males usually arrive somewhat earlier than females. The main signs of the beginning of the mating period are the peculiar calls of the males, which are a little reminiscent of the squeaky chirping of chicks, alternating with loud singing.
Mating is accompanied by males flying from one place to another, singing and frequent fights. Representatives of the order Passeriformes do not have real mating. The direct mating process takes place on the ground or thick tree branches.
This is interesting! Nest construction begins approximately four weeks after arrival. In a significant part of the range, finches have time to complete a couple of summer clutches.
The nest is built exclusively by females, but it is the males who deliver to the construction site all the necessary material, which can be represented by thin twigs and twigs, roots and stems. The shape of the finished nest is most often spherical, with a cut off top. Its external walls are necessarily lined with pieces of moss or lichen, as well as birch bark, which serves as a very successful camouflage of the nest.
A complete clutch usually consists of 4-7 eggs that are pale bluish-green or reddish-green in color with deep and diffuse, large pinkish-purple spots. The female does the incubation, and in a little less than a couple of weeks, small chicks are born. Both parents feed the offspring, using for this purpose mainly various sedentary invertebrates, represented by spiders, sawfly larvae, and butterfly caterpillars. The chicks remain under the protection of the parental roof for fourteen days, after which the female begins to actively prepare for the second clutch, but in another, newly built nest.
Almost every resident of Russia is familiar with a bird the size of a sparrow - the finch. Unlike its urban counterpart, the finch can be easily spotted by its bright color. The males are especially different here: they have a bright red chest and greenish-brown back, and a blue head. Females look less remarkable; they are duller in color. In nature, their life cycle does not last more than two years, but in captivity finches live up to 12 years.
Bird habitat
Finch nests can be found throughout our country. In addition, finches can be found in North Africa, Asia and Europe. Truly unique creations. Despite their small size, they easily fly long distances. Most often, birds settle in forest areas, but you can meet them in urban areas. With global urbanization, some began to settle next to people and benefit from this proximity. Therefore, noticeable birds can be seen in an ordinary park and garden.
Brief description of the appearance of the finch
It is worth looking carefully at the appearance of the birds. If you have seen a photo of a finch bird, you will think that he not much different from a sparrow. This is partly true. Males:
- small size;
- with a sharp gray beak;
- on the head there is a cap of bluish plumage with a grayish tint;
- There is a small rusty stain on the breast. The back is brick shade. Fun fact: the beak color changes with the seasons. In winter it is brown, and in warm weather it is blue.
Female chaffinches look paler compared to males. A calm color scheme is needed for hatching chicks. In this case, the female merges with the nest and it is difficult for predators to notice her. Therefore, their back is dark brown, but their breast is not much different. By
Since the finch belongs to the finch family, its diet consists of insects. This is especially noticeable during the mating season, that is, from May to July. In this segment finches only eat insects, since successful reproduction requires an abundance of protein food. By the way, small birds bring serious benefits to agriculture. They eat dangerous pests - butterflies and dipterous beetles. In other words, those who actively harm human plantings.
In rare cases, poultry switches to products of plant origin. Seeds, fruits, berries. It is nutrition that poses the main difficulty in keeping birds in captivity. Since it is extremely difficult to provide them with constant access to insects.
Migratory season
Birds in September begin to fly to warmer climes. This is especially true for those flocks that live in central Russia. Some birds that live in the south of the country have adapted to wintering in place and have adapted to them. Many flocks simply fly to neighboring regions. They all return to their native lands.
Finch: will or captivity
It used to be fashionable to keep a finch at home. He became famous as a skilled singer along with the nightingale. It has been observed that birds live longer in captivity. A distinctive feature of the finch is that it takes a long time to get used to a new place and does not sing during this period. They very impressionable, so I can get scared and die. Therefore, they are not suitable for keeping in an apartment.
As a result of artificial selection, it was possible to breed the ornamental finch. But even they sang only in the presence of a person when he was completely motionless. As soon as the person moved, the bird began to frantically beat against the bars of the cage, causing injury to itself. Therefore, they were kept separately, covering the cage with a blanket. At night, waking up, the bird also began to beat against the cage. Due to its complex diet, the bird often gets obesity and eye problems.
Therefore, despite their beauty and singing abilities, such pets are not adapted to captivity.
In nature, finches breed in the warm season, making several clutches of eggs. Nests are made in May; incubation takes two months in total. Therefore, birds often manage to hatch two broods during a season. Males have been repeatedly observed to be polygamous, that is, to impregnate several females at the same time. There are up to eight eggs in a clutch. After about three weeks, the chicks leave the nests.
Bird nests are also noteworthy. They are small. Males cover them with lichen and moss to hide their family from birds of prey. Thanks to the coloring of the feathers, the females blend perfectly into the objects around her and this makes her invisible.
Distinctive features of the chicks:
- Down instead of feathers;
- A kind of cap on the head;
- The first flight is attempted two weeks after hatching;
- Both parents feed: insects. Most often by bugs or caterpillars;
As you can see, there are many interesting specimens among small birds. Even with its small size, such a pet can sink into your soul. But not all birds can be kept in captivity, no matter how much you would like to keep a singer in your apartment. That's why it is better to choose parrots or canaries, since they are accustomed to being kept at home.
The finch can be seen and heard throughout almost all of Europe and much of Asia. It has a rather strange name, as if it is always cold. However, in fact, the finch is not afraid of frost. Bird report with video and photo
Squad - Passeriformes
Family - Finches
Genus/Species - Fringilla coelebs. Finch
Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Length: 14.5-16 cm.
Weight: 17-30
REPRODUCTION
Puberty: from 1 year.
Nesting period: since March.
Carrying: 1-2 per season.
Number of eggs: 4-6.
Incubation: 11-13 days.
Feeding the chicks: 12-15 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habits: Finches (see photo of the bird), with the exception of the mating season, stay in flocks.
Food: mainly seeds.
RELATED SPECIES
The finch family includes, for example, the finch, which is found throughout Europe, and Tenerife, which lives in the Canaries.
The finch is a cute songbird that can be seen throughout the year in Central Europe. In winter, most of the northern population of finches flies to southern Europe and Africa. Early in the spring these birds return to their nesting grounds.
FOOD
The finch is primarily a plant-eating bird. Its food consists of only one quarter animal food and three quarters plant food, mainly from various seeds. Herbivory is a characteristic feature of all finches. With the help of a strong beak, an uneven palate and strong facial muscles, the finch copes with even very hard food. It breaks beetle shells and seed shells equally easily. The finch's menu includes seeds of weeds and coniferous trees, green buds of leaves and flowers, wild berries and rowan.
LIFESTYLE
Immediately after arrival, brightly colored male finch begin searching for a convenient nesting site. Later the female joins the male. Finches prefer dense thickets, but these birds are unpretentious about where they live, so they settle in any forests, perhaps avoiding remote places. The nesting area of a finch is usually only 120 m2. In winter, finches keep in flocks and move to open spaces - meadows and fields. They often create joint flocks with sparrows or other species of finches, mainly with their closest relative, the finch.
REPRODUCTION
Nesting time for finches begins in March - April. Males, having returned from wintering at this time, begin to look for a convenient site. They use loud singing to mark their territory and attract females to it. Having accepted the male’s invitation, the female begins to look for a place suitable for building a nest. The finch's nest can be located in a variety of places - in dense bushes, hedges or on a tree, usually not far from the trunk or in a fork of branches. The nest is built by the female, and the male helps her by bringing building material. The chaffinch's cup-shaped nest is carefully woven from moss, grass and thin twigs, held together with cobwebs and hairs. The outside of the nest is covered with lichens, birch bark and lumps of plant fluff, so it is almost impossible to notice it against the background of tree bark. The female lays 4 to 6 bluish-green eggs and incubates them for 11-13 days.
Newborn finch chicks are covered with down. They are completely dependent on their parents. The parents feed the chicks together. They bring insects to the babies and place them directly into the open beaks of the chicks.
FINCH SINGING
Chaffinch chicks learn their song by imitating the singing of adult males. Thus, they become performers of the “dialect” characteristic of a certain region. This singing is very important for young males when they first mark the boundaries of their territory. The melody changes depending on where you live. The song of finches is ringing, playful, with a characteristic “flourish” at the end.
Finch OBSERVATIONS
The finch is the most common bird in European forests. Male chaffinches are among the most brightly colored birds in Europe. They are easily recognized by their greyish-blue crown, tan chest, chestnut back and dark green tail base. Unlike males, female finches are not as bright. Their body is covered with brown feathers and they have white stripes on their wings and tail.
- During the construction of a nest, the female finch flies down about 1300 times for building material and returns with it to the nest. The nest is located at a height of 2-4 m from the ground.
- Finches belong to the finch family. Only three species of this family feed their chicks exclusively with insects, i.e. protein food.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE FINCH. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. BIRD DESCRIPTION
Female: for approximately 18 days it is busy building a cup-shaped nest and incubating eggs.
Male: protects the area when the female incubates eggs. He drives away potential rivals.
Wings: The white stripe on the wings helps distinguish the female finch from other finches.
- Habitat of the finch
WHERE DOES THE FINCH LIVE?
Europe, Asia, North Africa, the island of Madera, the Azores and the Canary Islands - the finch lives in all these places. Finches from the northern and eastern regions of their range are migratory birds and winter in the south - in Central and Southern Europe and the Middle East.
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
Finches are numerous throughout Europe, so they are not in danger of extinction.
Listen to the singing of songbirds: Finch. Video (00:15:04)
Bird Voices - Finch (Fringilla coelebs). Video (00:00:52)
The finch (lat. Fringilla coelebs) is a songbird of the finch family.
Size C (length about 17 cm). The color of the male's plumage is bright (especially in spring): the head is bluish-gray, the back is brownish with green, the crop and chest are brownish-red, there are large white spots on the wings; The color of the female is duller. Distributed in Europe, Western Asia and North Africa; settles in the East. One of the most numerous birds in Russia. It lives in forests and parks of all types, often close to human habitation. It makes nests in trees, camouflaging them with moss and lichens. Sometimes it nests twice a summer. The clutch contains 3-6 bluish speckled eggs. It feeds on seeds and green parts of plants, and in summer it also feeds on insects and other invertebrates, with which it feeds its chicks.
Typically, the specific song of a finch is represented by a trill ending with a “stroke” (short sharp sound) at the end. The trills are preceded by initial, more subtle whistle sounds. Therefore, the song of a finch can be divided into three successive parts - a chorus, a trill, a flourish. This song structure is characteristic of all adult males (the female finch is usually not vocal). The entire song usually lasts about 2-3 seconds, after a pause (7-10 seconds) the song is repeated again. Young male finch (first year) have a simplified, structurally homogeneous species song (subsong), in which the three described parts are not distinguished. A similar subsong may be present in female chaffinches throughout their lives. It is assumed that the development of normal species song in males occurs under the influence of testosterone (sex hormone). The normal (complex, differentiated) structure of a species song is acquired by young males (after becoming winged) as a result of learning - copying the song of older males of their species, as well as “mutual learning” of same-year-old males - roll call. Songs can be changed (song improvisation), and different variants (types) of a specific song are created, which are clearly distinguishable when viewed on a sonogram. The repertoire of one finch can include 1-6 (10) song variants, performed alternately. Typically, males, when singing in a group, perform only 2-3 types of songs; On average, 20 types of species song can be found in a population. Similar vocal variability is observed in many passerine bird species. Because of their sonorous song, finches are often kept in captivity.
The common finch is a small bird of the finch family, no larger than a sparrow. It is distinguished by a surprisingly ringing, pleasant voice and unusual color.
Dimensions and structure
Not only in size, but also in constitution, the finch resembles a sparrow. The weight of an adult does not exceed 40 grams, and the body length is 14-16 cm. The long and sharp beak has a regular conical shape. Its upper part is slightly lowered towards the tip. The nostrils are slightly covered with feathers.
The wingspan of a finch can reach 28 cm. The tail is medium in size, with a notch in the middle. The bird's seemingly weak toes are armed with strong and sharp claws. The lifespan of a finch in natural conditions is approximately 12 years.
Male plumage color
That, ordinary, deserves special attention. The older the bird, the brighter its plumage. Black forehead, bright blue neck, turning into red-brown, the same brick shade and chest. The brown back becomes greenish closer to the tail, and the lower part of the body has a contrasting white color. Those of the cover feathers that are the smallest are a beautiful dark blue color. Black wings with wide and narrow white stripes and yellow edging stand out very impressively. The lower tail coverts are pale white, edged with black scales. The gray tail feathers located in the middle have a yellow border, all the rest are black, covered on the inside with large white spots.
Around the light brown eyes there are rings of brown color. The male's beak changes color depending on the time of year. In the spring, during the mating season, it is bluish in color, and in winter it becomes completely brown.
Female plumage color
Adult females, unlike males, cannot boast such bright plumage. It is very important for them to be less noticeable during the period of hatching chicks, therefore the color scheme of females is calmer and more restrained. The plumage of the upper part of the body is dark brown in color, the lower part is slightly lighter, without sharp transitions.
The head and back of the head are greenish. The common finch differs quite a bit in color from an adult female in the first weeks of its life. The peculiarity of the chick's plumage is only a small white spot on the back of its head.
origin of name
Where did this cheerful and lively bird get such an interesting name? The Russian people very accurately gave names to various birds, noting their characteristic behavior. The common finch, sometimes appearing, remained to spend the winter in its native land. Perhaps his ruffled appearance during the period of severe frost aroused compassion among local residents, for which they gave him such a name. According to another version, the finch was so named because of its ability to gather in flocks in the fall and spring.
Distribution area
This bird can often be found in most of Europe, North Africa and almost all of Russia. In New Zealand it is the most common passerine species.
The common finch lives in a wide variety of forest landscapes - deciduous and coniferous. It prefers to settle in mature and cool forests, in bushes, on forest edges, in birch groves and pine forests. The only exceptions are damp and swampy areas, as well as dark areas of the forest. It can often be seen near people’s homes - in gardens, orchards, parks, and cemeteries. Some birds winter in Central Europe, others migrate to the Mediterranean and to the foothill forests of the Caucasus.
finch singing
In the old days, this common finch was held in high esteem: its singing was highly valued and a lot of money was paid for the bird. In captivity, birds can start singing as early as January. In natural habitats, songs sound from spring to mid-summer. Since July, chaffinch singing can be heard less and less often.
The voice of this little bird sounds like a ringing, rolling trill. It is preceded by a thin whistle. Usually a song consists of one or two steps, which are persistently repeated one after another and end with a kind of “stroke” - a short sharp note. Amateurs know how to accurately distinguish these knees, giving them specific names. The duration of one song lasts about three seconds, after which there is a short pause and everything is repeated. With the help of sounds, the finch is capable of transmitting various signals, meaning anxiety, courtship, aggression, etc. In its own language, it can give a signal to take off or express fear.
The singing ornamental finch today is much less common in city apartments than before.
Features of behavior
Birds live in pairs, trying to settle close to each other, while at the same time very jealously protecting their territory from neighbors. After the end of the nesting period, when the chicks grow up, the finches gather in large flocks, joining with other representatives of the finch family, and disappear from our area for the winter. Only some males remain for the winter.
The common finch, the description of its appearance given above, is a very energetic, dexterous, intelligent and unusually agile bird. Almost the entire daylight hours it is in continuous movement, only hiding in the branches of trees in the afternoon heat. The finch moves along the branches a little sideways, but jumps or runs quite quickly on the ground. Its flight resembles wavy lines, and it flies long distances at a considerable altitude. Before sitting down, the finch hovers above the ground for some time.
Nutrition
As with all representatives of the finch family, the finch's main food is insects. During the breeding season, from May to July, the food consists of 100% of them. The food is dominated by small bugs, butterflies, and various dipterous insects, including those that cause great harm to agricultural plants. Sometimes the common finch also feeds on products of plant origin - weed seeds, fruits, berries, etc.
Nesting
In the northern regions, finches appear in mid-April, in the central regions - almost a month earlier. Having become somewhat accustomed, a married pair of finches begins to build a nest. It is most often located in the crown of a deciduous tree, at the base of one of the side branches. Birds camouflage their nest so skillfully that it is almost impossible to see it from the ground. Small twigs, grass, and moss are used for construction. The outside walls of the nest are covered with pieces of bark and lichens. The bottom is covered with feathers and wool. All building material is held together using spider web threads. The clutch usually contains from 4 to 7 bluish-green eggs covered with pink spots.
The female incubates them for two weeks, occasionally flying out of the nest only to warm up or find food. The male feeds her infrequently, being more interested in singing or quarreling with neighbors who have flown into his area. In one season, a common finch (photos and a detailed description of what these birds look like are given in this article) can make two clutches. The second lasts from June to August.
What do finch chicks look like?
The chicks that are born are much fluffier than their numerous relatives from among Their body is almost completely covered with long gray fluff, only small areas of it remain naked. The fluffs located on the babies' heads stick out very funny to the sides, resembling a hat.
After about two weeks, the chicks fledge, differing little in color from their mother, and begin their first flight from the nest. As a rule, both parents are involved in feeding their offspring. As food, the common finch brings its chicks mainly various insects, most of which are caterpillars.
In the old days, these birds were kept in cages quite often, and they were very expensive. At the same time, a finch that finds itself in captivity takes a long time to get used to the new environment and does not immediately begin to sing. Surprisingly, birds in captivity have a much longer lifespan than in nature. Despite this, they are not very suitable for keeping in an apartment and in extremely rare cases they become accustomed to humans.
The singing ornamental finch, the photo of which is posted below, is capable of emitting its sonorous trills only as long as the person next to it is motionless.
As soon as you move a little, the singer begins to throw himself against the walls of the cage, hitting the bars and risking breaking. Therefore, in order to prevent the birds from being injured, the finches are kept one at a time, making sure to cover the cage with a linen blanket.
Often the finch, waking up at night, begins to jump on the perches, but, unable to see in the dark, bumps into the walls. It has been noticed that such behavior is characteristic of these recluses when the migration period begins for migratory birds. To avoid disturbance at night, it is recommended to turn on a small light at night so that the bird can see the perches and twigs.
Many problems arise with the diet of finches kept in captivity. In addition, they often suffer from obesity and eye diseases. For these reasons, the number of people willing to listen to captive finches sing has decreased significantly.
