Brambling

The Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird is widespread throughout the forests of northern Europe and Asia. It is migratory, wintering in southern Europe, north Africa, north India, China and Japan. It regularly strays into Alaska during migration and may continue as far south as the western United States.

Open coniferous or birch woodland is favoured for breeding. It builds its nest in a tree fork, and decorates the exterior with moss or lichen to make it less conspicuous. It lays 4-9 eggs.

This species can form large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with Chaffinches. These large gathering occur especially if there is a good supply of Beech nuts. The food is seeds, but unlike most finches, the young are fed extensively on insects.

It is similar in size and shape to a Chaffinch, but has a pale rump and lacks white outer tail feathers. It has dark back, orange breast and whitish belly. The large double wing bars are orange or white. The breeding male is unmistakeable, with his orange underparts and black head and back.