Hull urban birds. 15. Linnet

A sparrow-sized finch with muted plumage. Probably easily passes unnoticed. White eye streaks and cheek spot and white sides of tail and border of primary feathers are present in both sexes. Females are greyish brown on top and pale underneath, with streaked plumage. During May and June, when their plumage is worn, males sport crimson chest and forehead patches, but there is much individual variability on the extent of this feature. Linnets are fond of open spaces with bare ground and scattered bushes or hedgerows, where they can access seeds from grasses and weeds. They can be found on brownfield sites, allotments, car parks, and verges in housing estates and industrial estates and along drains.

Two male Linnets feeding on small patches of weeds on the Walton Street car park, 7/04/21, illustrate how they take advantage of marginal habitats not deemed of much biodiversity value.

Status in Hull

Linnets are still widespread and can be found year round around Hull, but they become more common during the breeding season in the inner city. They are social birds, that form loose colonies in the breeding season. In winter they wander in flocks searching for food and join of other finches and buntings. Then, they frequent stubble fields and field margins on the outskirts of the city. Noddle Hill LNR has a good breeding population of Linnets.

Female linnet with nest material. Railway triangle near KC Stadium, 5/05/2020.

Male Linnet, 26/04/2020, Spring Bank west.

Linnet feeding on dandelion seeds. Asda car park, Hessle Road 10/05/2015.

Conservation status and management

As other farmland birds, Linnets experienced dramatic population declines since the 70's and are birds of conservation concern, and in The Birds of Conservation Concern 5
Red list. They are also in the Hull Biodiversity Action Plan. Agricultural intensification with the use of herbicides negatively affected them and resulted in poor breeding success. The breeding bird survey (BBS) also records further Linnet declines in the Hull area in recent decades. Management actions likely to benefit Linnets in Hull include to stop use of herbicides on pavements and the edge of verges and a less frequent mowing regime of verges and lawns so that grasses and other plants have the chance to set seed. Diverse lawns with daisies, dandelions, shepherd purses, cuckoo flower and other weeds not only favour linnets but butterflies, bees and other insects and will also benefit orchids of conservation concern. Creating buffer strips adjacent to intensively mowed areas or by hedgerows will also benefit this species.

Top shot: male Linnet singing, Noddle Hill LNR. 6/05/2018.

More information

Broughton, Richard K. Birds of the Hull Area.

BTO Bird trends: Linnet.

Marshall, B. Hull Biodiversity Action Plan. (2002).

BTO BBS breeding and trends.