Common Chaffinch
Common Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Aves
COMMON

Stats

Lifespan
3-12 yrs
Size
Small
Diet
Omnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Social
Flock
Biome
Temperate forest
Range
Europe
Movement
Flight
Breeding
Egg-laying
Defense
Camouflage
Status
Common

About

One of Europe's most abundant birds, the male Common Chaffinch flaunts a slate-blue cap and deep rust-red breast that fade to duller tones outside the breeding season. Both sexes are instantly identified by their bold white wing bars and white outer tail feathers, which flash conspicuously in flight.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    egg
    A small clutch of speckled eggs is incubated in a cup nest, turned and kept warm by the parent.
  2. 2.
    hatchling
    A pink, blind hatchling is fed by its parents in the nest, gaping its bill at every visit.
  3. 3.
    juvenile
    A feathered juvenile fledges from the nest, learning to fly and to forage close to its parents.
  4. 4.
    adult
    Fully grown with adult plumage and song.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Fringillidae
Genus
Fringilla
Species
Fringilla coelebs