Chaffinch

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{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Chaffinch | image = Chaffinch777lg.JPG | image_width = 300px | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Aves | ordo = Passeriformes | familia = Fringillidae | genus = Fringilla | species = F. coelebs | binomial = Fringilla coelebs | binomial_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 }} The Chaffinch, (Fringilla coelebs), is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird is widespread and very familiar throughout Europe. Its range extends into western Asia, north-western Africa and the Canary Islands. On Tenerife and Gran Canaria, it coexists with its sister species, the endemic Blue Chaffinch.

It uses a range of habitats, but open woodland is favoured, although it is common in gardens and on farmland. It builds its nest in a tree fork, and decorates the exterior with moss or lichen to make it less conspicuous. It lays about six eggs.

This bird is not migratory in the milder parts of its range, but vacates the colder regions in winter. The coelebs part of its name means "bachelor". This species was named by Linnaeus; in his home country of Sweden, the females depart in winter, but the males often remain. This species forms loose flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with Bramblings. This bird occasionally strays to eastern North America, although some sightings may be escapees.

Its large double white wing bars, white tail edges and greenish rump easily identify this 14-16cm long species. The breeding male is unmistakable, with his reddish underparts and a grey cap. The female is drabber and greener, but still obvious.

The food of the Chaffinch is seeds, but unlike most finches, the young are fed extensively on insects.

The powerful song is very well known, and the fink contact call gives the finch family its English name. Males typically sing two or three different song types, and there are regional dialects too. The acquisition by the young chaffinch of its song was the subject of an influential study by British ethologist William Thorpe. Thorpe determined that if the chaffinch is not exposed to the adult male's song during a certain critical period after hatching, it will never properly learn the song.1 He also found that in adult Chaffinches, castration eliminates song, but injection of testosterone induces such birds to sing even in November, when they are normally silent (Thorpe 1958).

In a number of countries such as Belgium, the Chaffinch is a popular pet bird, although it is nowadays forbidden to catch the birds in the wild. In some areas of Western Belgium, finching is a quite popular sport. In a finching contest, a number of cages each housing a male finch are lined up, usually along a street. Every time the bird sings its song (which should be the correct tune!) this is marked with a chalk stripe on a wooden stick, and the bird singing its song the most times during one hour wins the contest.

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Gallery

Female Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch

Finching contest in Belgium

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External links

Listen to the chaffinch at:

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References

  • Thorpe, W. (1958). The learning of song patterns by birds, with special reference to the song of the Chaffinch, "Fringilla coelebs". Ibis 100:535-570.bg:Обикновена чинка

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