Carduelis cannabina - Linnet
Feather characters. Barbules are extremely short (0.42-0.46 mm) and divided into pigmented nodes and unpigmented internodes. Occasionally some pigment may be found in parts of 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. Prongs are absent. Barbules have this typical structure for Passeriformes; pigmented, bell-shaped nodes combined with rounded villi.
Field characters. Size 13.5 cm. Weight 15.3 g (14.5-21.0) (Dunning, 1993). Male has scarlet forehead and breast, chestnut mantle, greyish sides of head, and black flight- and tail feathers with white edges. Female streaked brown on buff of breast and on chestnut of mantle. Both sexes have dark grey bill and forked tail. Differs from Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea, not included in BRIS) and Twite (Carduelis flavirostris, not included in BRIS) in having obvious white patches on wing and on sides of tail, chestnut on mantle, dark bill (also in winter), and by different voice. Juvenile a rather nondescript finch, but white patches in wing exclude other small finches except Twite. Often in flocks, in winter together with other finches and buntings.
Voice. Call in flight 'knut knut'. Song a varied and musical twittering with clear whistling notes, usually given from perch.
Distribution. Common resident, but common summer visitor in Scandinavia. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. In varied half-open landscape, with trees, hedgerows, bushes and open low vegetated terrain. Often near wasteland, stubble, and arable fields in winter.
Food. In summer seeds and insects, in winter seeds, found mainly on the ground or in low vegetation.