Chaffinch of the UK and Ireland

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The Chaffinch (fringilla coelebs), is one of the more familiar and colourful garden birds of the UK and Ireland. They are are also known as the Common Chaffinch and Eurasian Chaffinch.

The Chaffinch belongs to the Fringillidae (or Finch) family of birds that includes the Brambling. Adults start breeding when they are 1 year old. The average lifespan of these birds is about 3 years.

Chaffinches are sociable birds that inhabit areas where there are suitable trees and shrubs for nesting such as conifers and deciduous woodland, hedges with trees, parks and large gardens in towns and cities.

The preferred habitat is open woodland but can be found on farmland in the autumn and winter. They have adapted well to urban environments.

They can often be heard singing their distinctive pink-pink or rain-rain song loudly from a tree or shrub.

Their diet is mainly of seeds from various types of plants that include weeds, grasses and goosefoot which they forage for on the ground (lawns, woodland floor).

Insects, caterpillars and other invertebrates are eaten in the summer and are found in trees and bushes. Insects are fed to the chicks in the summer.

Chaffinches are also fond of beech mast if it is plentiful.

They are often seen in gardens looking for food, especially Sunflower hearts, underneath bird tables rather than on them.

Chaffinches are resident birds that may be seen all year round in all parts of the UK and Ireland (except for northern-most areas of Scotland).

Wintering Chaffinches from northern Europe and Scandinavia migrate to the UK and Ireland and join resident birds in the autumn.

Flocks, often mixed with other Finches (Bramblings), Bunting and Sparrows, are formed in the autumn and winter. Most resident Chaffinches remain near their breeding territories all year round.

Some move away when the winter weather is very cold but return later.

Female Chaffinches in Northern Europe and Scandinavia tend to migrate further than males in winter.

Resident birds in the UK and Ireland are joined by large numbers of wintering Chaffinches. Single-sex flocks of all males and all females are often seen in winter in Britain and Ireland.

Their unusual behaviour has earned them the scientific name of coelebs which means "bachelor" birds.

Research by Duke University in America have found male Chaffinches have developed regional "accents" in different parts of the world ( Daily Mail).

The female builds a neat cup-shaped nest in the fork of a tree or tall bush. The outer layer is of lichens and spiders' web and the inner layer is of moss and grass lined with feathers.

Four to six eggs are laid between April and June. Eggs hatch after 10 to 16 days and the young are fledged after 11 to 18 days. The female tends to the chicks in the nest and both parent look after the young when they leave the nest.

Crows, cats, and squirrels are their natural predators.

The global population is not considered Vulnerable by conservationist groups due to the extensive range of these birds (Eurasia, North Africa). The European population is regarded as Secure (Birdlife International).

The Chaffinch is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The Common Chaffinch, or Chaffinch, is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.

The Breeding Bird Survey said the resident population of Chaffinches in Britain:

• - increased by 12% between 1995 and 2011 (RSPB)
• - declined by 5% between 2013/14 (BBS 2013/14 - page 13)
• - increased by 2% between 2014/15 (BBS - page 13)
• - declined of 11% between 2015/16 in the UK (BBS - page 15)
• - declined by 9% between 2016/17 (BBS - page 15)
• - declined by 2% between 2017/18 (BBS - page 15)

The Chaffinch population has increased because of the spread of forest plantations. It is also thought the increase is because of the "use of trees and shrubs for feeding and nesting in the farming landscape and the ability to utilize unkempt hedgerows may have contributed to the ability of Chaffinches to persist on farmland despite wide-scale agricultural change in recent decades (Taylor and Francis).

Fewer Chaffinches were seen in gardens in 2012 and 2015. The main reason given was the "the chaffinch eat seeds or insects, which are easy to find in the countryside when the weather is mild" ( Guardian).

The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwath said in 2018 that "Blue tits and chaffinches were also seen more often" in gardens. The effect of the severe weather known in 2018 called the "Beast from the East" will not be known until the end of this year's breeding season.

The charity also said "The long-term trend seen in the data from the birdwatch, which began in 1979, shows chaffinches have declined by 55% but all the tits have increased. “The general feeling is that tits are able to adapt better and take advantage of the resources people provide in their gardens” (Guardian).

The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch revealed the Chaffinch was one of the UK's most common garden birds in 2014 (ITV).

Chaffinches are also susceptible to trichomonosis which is a bird disease that also affects Greenfinches. The population of Chaffinches in the UK declined by 7% between 2005 (first reported) and 2011 because of the disease.

There are concerns about trichomonosis affecting the bird population in Europe when it was found in Finland, Norway and Sweden in 2008 (BBC).

The Chaffinch is also a green-listed species of bird in the Republic of Ireland. Birdwatch reported the Chaffinch population in Ireland increased between 1998 and 2010 ( Birdwatch - page 6).

The Chaffinch was one of Ireland's most abundant and widespread common garden birds in 2011/12 according to Birdwatch ( Birdwatch - page 2).

Chaffinches were also found to be suffering from trichomonosis and Birdwatch have asked anyone who has seen infected birds to contact them.