RED BIRDS SEEN IN NORTH AMERICA

Common Chaffinch

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Fringilla Coelebs 

Males are relatively large with upperparts that are soft reddish-brown on the back, green rump, black upperwing with two conspicuous white bars and buffy- white edges to flight feathers.

Tail is black with white outer retrices and the underparts are pinkish-brown. Crown, nape and neck sides are gray, forehead is blackish, cheeks and ear- coverts are pinkish-brown.

The males' winter plumage is the same but is duller.

Females are duller with grayish-brown plumage, paler on the underparts. Wingbars are creamy-white and narrower than in males.

The head is brownish with a paler nape patch, eyes are dark , bordered by buffy-white eye-ring.

Juveniles resemble females.

BILL: pointed.

Males: grayish-blue in breeding plumage, and rather pinkish in winter.

Females: pale pink with a blackish tip.

SIZE: measures about 5.7 inches in length, with a wingspan of 9.6 - 11.2 inches.

WEIGHT: weighs about 18 - 29 grams.

COLOR: reddish-brown, pinkish-brown, green, white, buffy-white, gray, grayish-brown, and black.

Seeds, grains and insects. 

Various kinds of woodlands, as deciduous or coniferous. It prefers open woodlands, and it is very common in parks and gardens, cultivated areas, orchards and hedgerows.

Most of Europe, Western Europe to Western Asia, Middle-East, North Africa and the Macaronesian Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

CALL: A “pink-pink” very sharp (when perched). There is also a thin “seee” as an alarm call. The flight-call is a “yup-yup”.

SONG: A short and vigorous series of descending notes ending in a “chip-chip- chip-chip-chett-chett-chett-chett-diddip- diddiooo” very variable.

The song may be heard from far, and varies according to the region, forming local dialects.

NEST: The female builds a cup-shaped nest with lichen and moss that provide excellent camouflage, and some bark chips. 

The interior is lined with hair and feathers. It is placed in a fork in a tree or in thick bush.

EGGS: 4 - 5 pale blue eggs with pink, reddish or purple markings.

INCUBATION: 11 - 13 days, female only.

They are usually found on the ground, foraging for seeds.

They feed in large groups in winter, taking seeds in farmlands and gardens. But in the breeding season, they are strongly territorial.

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

                   https://en.wikipedia.org

                   http://www.oiseaux-birds.com

                   https://www.sdakotabirds.com