The Greenfinch is a stout finch the size of a sparrow, with olive green, black and grey plumage. The large head and conical pinkish bill and its serious expression are quite distinctive. In both sexes the edge of the folded wing and tail are yellow. Males in breeding plumage are greener with a bright yellow green chest. Females are more brownish, and the juveniles show streaking. Greenfinches feed on a range of seeds, including dandelion, rose, elm, ash, yew and cypress, picking the seeds from the trees and bushes or on the ground. They live in a range of habitats, from the coast to gardens, farmland, hedgerows, parks and brownfield.
Males start singing at the end of January, especially in sunny weather, typically from a tall, exposed perch, including aerials. River Hull, 13 April 2021. Their song includes a repeated, drawn wheeeezzz! which travels further than the warbles and trills that also make up the song.
Status and distribution in Hull
Despite population declines, the Greenfinch remains a widespread, if not abundant, bird in Hull. Broughton (2002) regarded it as the commonest finch in the Hull area, a spot now definitely held by the Godlfinch. It is unusual to see large flocks, often 5 or 6 birds is a notable number. They are found across Hull, from the margins of the Barmston Drain to the parks and cemeteries.
After some fluctuating population size and increases from the nineties, a sharp, 70% population decline from 2006, meant the Greenfinch was added to the UK Red List in 2021. The decline was attributed to an outbreak of trichomonosis disease, with epidemics in summer 2006 and 2007.The disease was formerly known as affecting pigeons and doves, but it jumped to finches, which were severely affected. The most recent breeding bird survey report, with 2023 data, suggested that the decline might have halted, with a plateau since 2019.
Greenfinches are common birds in gardens, where they like to feed on sunflower seed. The trichomonosis disease, which infects the birds gullets and makes them regurgitate food they cannot swallow, is likely to have spread faster amongst birds feeding in feeders, where birds of different species congregate. Feeder and container hygiene is recommended if you feed birds in your garden. If you notice any signs of diseased birds, stopping feeding will reduce transmission.
Greenfinches feeding on dandelion seeds on amenity grassland at Bridlington Avenue 1st May 2022.
A Greenfinch feeding on elm seeds. General Cemetery, 20 May 2020.
Greenfinches benefit from a range of foods, sensitive management of verges, allowing wildflowers to produce seed, and hedgerows, and reducing herbicide and pesticide use is likely to benefit them.
More information
Broughton, Richard K. Birds of the Hull Area.
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