GREEN BIRDS SEEN IN NORTH AMERICA

European Greenfinch 

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Chloris Chloris 

Breeding males are olive-green washed yellow on the upperparts. Upperwings are darker. Flight feathers are rather gray with bright yellow edges on primaries.

There is a conspicuous yellow patch when wings are closed. Tail is gray, with yellow patch at base of external rectrices. Underparts are greenish-yellow overall. Head is olive-green.

The strong, conical bill is horn-coloured. Eyes are dark brown with brown lores. Legs and feet are pinkish.

Nonbreeding males are duller. The head, have a pale gray patch on the sides, and an indistinct pale gray collar on the foreneck. Forehead and eye’s area are rather green.

Females are duller and browner overall. The yellow wing patches are less conspicuous. Plumage is slightly washed green or yellow in the centre of belly.

Juveniles resemble females but with grayer plumage, heavily streaked darker overall. They have weak yellow edges on primary and tail feathers.

BILL: horn-colored, strong and cone-shaped.

SIZE: measures about 5.5 - 5.9 inches in length, with a wingspan of 9.8 - 12.2 inches.

WEIGHT:  weighs about 25 - 31 grams.

COLOR: olive-green, gray, yellow, and greenish-yellow (breeding plumage). pale gray, and green (nonbreeding plumage).

Mainly sunflower seeds, seeds from varied other plants, buds, berries and insects.

Open woodlands and edges, bushy areas, gardens and farmlands.

Europe, North Africa and south-west of Asia and introduced into New Zealand.

CALL: Utters rapid “djururut” in flight. It gives a soft “tsooeet” and a brief “chup”.

SONG: A series of twittering phrases, ending in long, nasal “dzweeeee”.

NEST: A bulky nest made of dried grasses and moss. It is lined with plant fibres, rootlets, fur, feathers and wool inside.

EGGS: 4 - 6 glossy pale blue or creamy- white eggs with a few reddish of purplish markings.

INCUBATION: 13 - 14 days, female fed by the male.

FLEDGLING AGE: 16 -18 days.

They feed mainly on sunflower seeds and often frequent bird-feeders; they are very common in gardens.

They are very agile and can take food from hanging feeders.

SOURCES: https://www.birds-of-north-america.net

                   https://en.wikipedia.org

                   http://www.oiseaux-birds.com