GREEN FINCH 



Fnngilla ckloris 



>HE Greenfinch is a common resident throughout the British 

 Islands, and is one of the best known of all the British 

 Finches, probably because of its fondness for the orna- 

 mental trees and shrubs in our gardens and parks, and 

 round about our houses. 



The Greenfinch is generally found about the large 

 hedges, dividing the fields, in small plantations of orna- 

 mental trees, or in woods composed of spruce-firs, preferring the outskirts of 

 the latter. In such localities it is common during the breeding-season, and 

 being rather a shy, retiring bird at this time of year, tries to keep out of sight 

 as much as possible, though its song may often be heard. In spring, when 

 the males are in full song, their notes are soft and pleasing ; but during the 

 nesting-season they leave off their singing to a great extent, and only their 

 call-note, a somewhat long-drawn ' zie-aze] is heard. The flight of the Green- 

 finch is undulating, the wings being almost closed during the. dip in the 

 flight, and they constantly utter a short note, ' ytk-ytk-ytitj as they fly. 



The food of the Greenfinch consists chiefly of grain and various seeds, 

 but it is also made up of insects, grubs, etc. ; and although the bird may be 

 seen frequently in the fields of ripe grain, it is chiefly for the sake of the 

 seeds of many of the grasses and weeds, which are ripe at the same time. 



The Greenfinch is a rather late breeder, and eggs are seldom to be found 

 before the end of April. The birds are very sociable during the breeding-season, 

 and numbers of their nests are often placed in quite a small patch of orna- 

 mental trees. The Greenfinch's nest may be found in the larger hedges, in 

 the fruit-trees in our gardens, in the patches of tall whins on waste land, or 

 in plantations of young spruce-firs ; but the favourite place is among the 

 evergreen trees and bushes in our shrubberies. If the bird has any preference 

 VOL. in. M 45 



