Carduelis chloris - Greenfinch
Feather characters. Barbules are from short to medium length (0.49-1.55 mm). Barbules are divided into pigmented nodes and unpigmented internodes. Bell-shaped nodes are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules (36-40 per mm). They all are about the same size, slightly decreasing towards distal end. Villi are rounded and internodes are straight. Minute prongs may be present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum. Barbules have this typical structure for Passeriformes; pigmented, bell-shaped nodes combined with rounded villi.
Field characters. Size 14.5 cm. Weight 27.8 g (25.0-31.5) (Dunning, 1993). Stocky, green (male) or brownish-green (female) finch with rather heavy pale conical bill. Male with unstreaked green mantle, grey tertials, dark flight feathers and tail with much yellow. Female with slightly streaked browner mantle and with less yellow in wings and tail. In flight yellow wing bar and yellow on base of tail well visible. Juvenile brown with little green and strongly streaked. Usually in flocks, sometimes with other finches. Flight undulating. Song flight of male circling, with remarkably slow wing beats.
Voice. Call clear trill 'dididididi', also nasal 'djuwie'. Song series of calls, interspersed with long 'tswèèèèh'.
Distribution. Common resident, northern populations partially migrant. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. In half-open areas with plenty of bushes and trees, especially roses; never in dense woods. Frequent in parks, gardens, and plantations. Outside breeding season also in arable fields and wasteland near cover.
Food. Mainly seeds, buds and fruits; during breeding season also insects.