The size of a sparrow, but totally green with yellow wings, who would suspect the presence of such a bird leaving in the center of European cities?
And yet, it is quite common, even if its numbers have decreased alarmingly in recent years due to a contagious disease. It comes easily at bird feeders, but otherwise it is harder to see, because often at the top of the trees.
On the bird feeder, Greenfinches are the bosses, and other birds tend to let them eat and wait their turn, accustomed to being hunted with a blow of their big beak. In spring, the male sings during a mating flight with slow and wide wing-flaps, the wings almost touching each other at the top and bottom.
The nest is built in the fork of a tree, frequently in a park or garden, and the 4 to 6 chicks are fed there for nearly 3 weeks before taking off.
Many Greenfinches are sedentary, but those from northern Europe are migrating south. In winter, they gather in dormitories in tall trees. He can live up to 13 years.