Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Scientific name definitions

13·5–16 cm; 17–30 g. Medium-sized finch with peaked crown, broad wingbars and white rump . Male breeding has head to side of neck, mantle and upper back glossy black, scapulars and lesser upperwing-coverts pale orange, centre of lower back and rump white, becoming greyer with buffish-brown tips on uppertail-coverts; upperwing black, white median coverts, broad white tips on greater coverts, white at base of inner primaries (small white patch on closed wing), and pale buffish edges on secondaries and broader edges on tertials; tail black; chin pale orange, usually deeper orange on breast, upper belly and flanks, some dark spots on rear flanks; belly and vent white, with variable amounts of pale orange on undertail-coverts, underwing-coverts bright lemon-yellow; iris dark brown; bill entirely black, sometimes blue-grey with black on tip and along cutting edges; legs dark brown. Male non-breeding has head and upperparts mottled with brownish edges and grey-brown tips, nape and hindneck pale grey, side of neck bluish-grey, sometimes pale buffish-brown eyering or partial eyering; scapulars broadly tipped pale orange, white on median and greater coverts often tinged orange, flight-feathers dark brown, edged pale yellow, tertials and inner secondaries edged warm brown; bill variably pale yellow to dark orange with blackish tip. Female is similar to non-breeding male, but plainer brown head and face, centre of crown tipped paler and sides of crown and nape blackish, enclosing paler grey nape and side of neck; cheek and ear-coverts grey-brown; mantle has broad pale brown fringes, less orange on scapulars, lesser coverts blackish, wing and tail as for male but more clearly browner; bill as non-breeding male, but sometimes all blackish-grey. Non-breeding female is similar to non-breeding male, but head paler, dark tips on orange scapulars, pale orange tips on median and greater coverts, with edges of tertials and inner secondaries warmer brown, underparts duller, spots on rear flanks more diffuse, bill horn-coloured with paler or yellowish base, legs brown. Juvenile is similar to female but browner, with extensive pale buff-brown tips from forehead to nape, mantle and back, tips of median and greater coverts pale yellow to pale buffish-orange, rump and belly tinged dull yellow; first-year male like adult in fresh plumage, except for paler, reddish or rust-brown lesser coverts and grey-brown (not black) outer greater coverts and primary coverts.

• Common Chaffinch x Brambling (hybrid) Fringilla coelebs x montifringilla

N & NE Europe E in broad band to E Russia (Chukotka), S to NE Kazakhstan, C & SE Altai, Tuva, S L Baikal, Russian Far East (S to Amurland, Sakhalin and Kamchatka); winters in W, C & S Europe, N Africa, Middle East, and SW, C & E Asia.

Breeds in birch (Betula) and conifer woodland, also in mixed deciduous and conifer woods; along N edge of tundra occurs in dwarf birch and willow (Salix) scrub, farther S in riverine alder (Alnus). In non-breeding season mainly in areas of deciduous trees, including woods, forests and small copses and shelter-belts, especially those containing beech (Fagus) or hornbeam (Carpinus), along edges of open agricultural fields , also in weedy and stubble fields, also orchards, and in areas of snowfall visits birdtables in gardens ; to 3050 m in Himalayas.

Migratory; small numbers resident in Scandinavia. Most movement diurnal, but sea crossings (e.g. across North Sea) usually overnight; rate of daily movement not well known, but one ringed in Norway recovered nine days later 1130 km NW in SE Iceland (average c. 125 km/day). Some evidence from ringing that adults winter farther N than immatures; proportion of males in wintering area decreases from N to S (except in years of poor food supply in N areas) and females depart from breeding areas ahead of males. Breeding birds from Scandinavia and W Russia move S & SW at end Sept or early Oct to wintering grounds in Europe S to Mediterranean and E to W & C Turkey, Crete, Cyprus, Israel, also Caucasus and N & SW Iran. Passage in NC Europe mostly from middle or late Sept to early Nov; in C Siberia large numbers of first-years move S along main rivers from end Jul to beginning Sept; arrives in wintering areas on broad front from end Sept, peak numbers later or in second wave mid-Oct to early Nov (later or onward movements usually triggered by food shortage during winter months); in W Europe reaches Pyrenees and Mediterranean coast by mid-Oct; small numbers cross Strait of Gibraltar to extreme N Morocco and Algerian coast (occasionally farther S), usually most numerous in years of severe weather in Europe. In SE Europe and E Mediterranean arrives between mid-Oct and end Dec (mainly mid-Nov to Dec); in Crimea and N Caucasus numbers vary greatly from year to year, from occasionally numerous to rare, passage early Oct to late Nov. Scandinavian breeders winter mostly in British Is, Belgium and France; in Britain arrives on broad front across North Sea, numbers annually variable, between 50,000 and 2,000,000; individuals ringed in Norway also recovered in Germany, Spain and Portugal; small numbers of Finnish breeders together with others from W Russia winter in Spain, SE France, Italy and Switzerland. Evidence from ringing indicates strong fidelity to wintering area, with birds retrapped up to six years later within vicinity of winter ringing area; others winter more distantly in successive years, e.g. individual ringed in winter in Switzerland subsequently recovered in Ireland, British-ringed birds subsequently wintering in Italy and Croatia, and wintering birds in C Europe subsequently recovered in winter in Caucasus. In years of periodic or cyclic abundance following successful breeding seasons, large numbers (up to several millions) move in random directions over wide areas within C & S Europe, with huge concentrations especially in S Germany and Switzerland; estimated flocks of more than 10,000,000 individuals at abundant supply of beechmast in Switzerland. In Asia, small numbers often present throughout winter in SC Russia; throughout Kazakhstan on passage late Sept to Nov, mainly along Ural Valley and Caspian-Aral Sea region; common in winter in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and return passage late Feb to early May; in N Iran common winter visitor in irregular number Nov to end Mar; locally common in winter Afghanistan E to Nepal. Farther E, passage into Japan, mainly through Hokkaido and N Honshu, late Sept to Nov, with peak mid-Oct; passage into N & E China and Korea at same time, mostly of birds wintering in E China (S to Fujian and Yunnan), scarce or irregular Hong Kong. Throughout range, return passage N from late Feb to early May, and passage to early Jun in N Kola Peninsula and NC Siberia; arrival in N parts of breeding range often delayed by prolonged cold weather, and in years with late springs those from most N areas may breed farther S than normal. Scarce or uncommon on passage or in winter S Morocco, C Algeria, Cyprus, E Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman and Taiwan. Vagrant in Spitsbergen, Bear I, E Atlantic islands (Azores, Madeira, Canaries), N Africa away from coastal NW (S to Algerian Sahara, Mauretania, and at sea 60 km W of Senegal), Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Ladakh, Bhutan, SE Asia (Thailand, Vietnam), Philippines (Calayan), Pribilof Is, Alaska , W Canada, and W Aleutian Is (annual in spring and autumn; in spring counts on Attu I over past 20 years, maximum day count 150 individuals). Records in mainland USA in Oregon, Nevada, California, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey, at least some of which undoubtedly involve escaped captives.

Mostly seeds  and fruits  ; also small invertebrates and their larvae, size of adult animal prey mostly up to 6 mm and larvae to c. 20 mm long. Seeds and fruit include those of beech, hornbeam, birch, spruce (Picea), pine (Pinus), larch (Larix), yew (Taxus), juniper (Juniperus), poplar (Populus), alder, oak (Quercus), sycamore (Acer), elder (Sambucus), lime (Tilia), olive (Olea), apple (Malus), ash (Fraxinus), rowan (Sorbus), blackthorn (Prunus) and hawthorn (Crataegus), together with those of lady's-mantle (Alchemilla), tormentil (Potentilla), privet (Ligustrum), guelder-rose (Viburnum), dogwood (Cornus), crowberry (Empetrum), bilberry (Vaccinium), knotgrass (Polygonum), sorrel and docks (Rumex), goosefoot (Chenopodium), orache (Atriplex), chickweed (Stellaria), spurrey (Spergula), buttercup (Ranunculus), globeflower (Trollius), rocket (Sisymbrium), rape (Brassica), charlock (Sinapis), radish (Raphanus), shepherd's-purse (Capsella), bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus), wood-sorrel (Oxalis), flax (Linum), violet (Viola), rock-rose (Helianthemum), evening-primrose (Oenothera), dead-nettle (Lamium), hemp-nettle (Galeopsis), cow-wheat (Melampyrum), plantain (Plantago), cudweed (Gnaphalium), wormwood (Artemisia), sunflower  (Helianthus), wood-rush (Luzula), also seeds of sedges (Carex), grasses (Gramineae) and cereals, mainly wheat (Triticum) and maize (Zea). Invertebrates taken mainly in summer, include springtails (Collembola), stoneflies (Plecoptera), earwigs (Dermaptera), bugs (Hemiptera), aphids (Aphidoidea), moths (Lepidoptera), caddis flies (Trichoptera), dragonflies (Odonata), flies (Diptera), bees, ants and wasps (Hymenoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), spiders (Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones), mites (Acari), centipedes (Chilopoda), woodlice (Isopoda) and pulmonate snails (Gastropoda). Nestling diet mostly moth larvae. In summer forages mainly in low shrubs, bushes and trees; picks insects from bark of trunk, branches and among foliage, and occasionally pursues and catches insects in flight. In winter and early spring usually forages on ground , also digs into leaf litter in search of beechmast. Forages singly, in pairs and in small groups. In non-breeding season also in larger flocks, sometimes containing thousands of individuals  , and in extreme cases flocks estimated to hold several millions gather in S & C Europe; sometimes in mixed-species flocks with F. coelebs, Chloris chloris, Carduelis carduelis and Linaria cannabina, as well as sparrows (Passer) and buntings (Emberizidae).

Song a sweet and melodious series of jumbled twitters, chirps and short trills and fluty notes, including "zip chii tschrr" or " tschrr tschrie tschra tschirrr tschrii", followed by longer, drawn-out evenly pitched wheezing "zweeee", "zheee"or "dzweeeeh", occasionally interspersed with softer or quiet twitters, also a descending rattle; reminiscent of similar song of Redwing (Turdus iliacus); often given by several males in chorus in non-breeding area prior to return migration. Calls include loud, sharp or rasping, nasal "zweee", "tsweeek" or "tsweee-ik", usually by male frequently in breeding season, also a musical "dweee" similar to that of Chloris chloris; also sharp "chink", similar to "pink" call of F. coelebs; alarm a sharper version of "zweee" note; in flight also a soft "chuc" or "chup".

Season May to early Aug; single-brooded, occasionally two broods in C Siberia and NW Russia. Monogamous; pair-bond lasts for duration of season. Solitary; also sometimes within or around breeding colonies of Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), where several males defend nesting area (up to eight full territories recorded at such sites); territories frequently overlap partially or entirely with those of F. coelebs. Little evidence of site-fidelity, either partner breeding up to 600 km from site used in previous year. Displaying male gives wheezing song from prominent perch with bill wide open and head back, crown feathers raised, wings drooped (especially wing closest to female) and displaying bright scapulars, wingbars and ruffled white rump, tail also partly spread; sometimes makes low, silent flights with slow flicking wingbeats. Nest built by female alone, a large, loose cup of grass, heather, birch or juniper bark strips, moss, lichens, plant down, animal hair or fur, feathers and cobwebs, sometimes pieces of string or paper added, placed 1–15 m above ground in fork or against trunk of tree, conifer or deciduous, exceptionally low down in scrub or on ground. Clutch 5–7 eggs , clear light blue to dark olive-brown, sparsely or densely spotted or blotched pinkish or rust-brown; replacement usually laid in new nest if first clutch lost, occasionally old nest reused after predation; incubation by female, fed on nest by male, period 11–12 days; chicks fed by both parents, nestling period 13–14 days. Nests often parasitized by Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in some areas. Breeding success apparently dependent on insect abundance at nestling stage: in Scandinavia, nests in vicinity of Fieldfares more successful owing to reduced avian predation; of 109 eggs in N Russian study (on Yamal Peninsula), 59% hatched and 57% fledged young  , most predation by Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix), Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) of "slender-billed" race macrorhynchos, and Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus). Breeds in first year. Recorded longevity 14 years 9 months.

Not globally threatened. Common to locally abundant, and widespread. Breeding population in Europe estimated (on basis of suitable habitat) at c. 15,000,000 pairs, with most in Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden. No data on numbers in E of range, but in non-breeding season uncommon in China; numbers on passage and wintering in Japan declined during last century. Breeding densities variable, highest 107 territories/km² of subalpine birch forest, 100 territories/km² of spruce forest and in mixed deciduous riverine forest, and up to 65 territories/km² in spruce-birch forest. In subalpine Fennoscandia breeding numbers vary annually, and largely determined by abundance of caterpillars of autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata) and winter moth (Operophtera brumata); in S Urals and S Siberia (S limits of breeding range), years with high breeding numbers generally followed by years of complete absence. Outside normal range, occasional breeding in Iceland, Faeroe Is, Scotland, Denmark, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and N Italy, also N Belarus; has bred also in W Aleutian Is.