The Greenfinch

 ..The Greenfinch..

 

The Greenfinch was once a common resident of Corkagh and frequent visitor to local gardens but in recent years their numbers have declined steeply due to Trichomoniasis which is a disease carried by pigeons and passed to finches on shared feeding tables.


They are an olive green colour (though the female is a duller brown) with striking yellow markings on their wings.

While I have occasionally had Merlin pick up the call of the Greenfinch at Corkagh it is a couple of years since I have seen one.  Fortunately while their numbers are holding up somewhat in rural areas but they are sadly now on the endangered list.

Greenfinches are primarily seed eaters and will also visit farmland to feast on grains and Rape seed.

Like other finches the Greenfinch breeding season starts in April and they can have two broods per year. 

While many of the other seed eating birds (including other finches) feed their nestlings on insects to begin with the Greenfinch feed their young of regurgitated seeds.

Their nests are normally located in dense undergrowth like Ivy and privet hedges but they will also nest in Gorse. 

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