Wild Wednesday - Greenfinch
A familiar visitor to gardens across Arun and West Sussex, the Greenfinch is a colourful and characterful member of the finch family. Known for its bright flashes of yellow and green, chunky build and distinctive wheezy song, this sociable bird can often be spotted in hedgerows, parks and farmland throughout the year.
Greenfinches form flocks with other finches in the winter and can be seen searching for food. They mainly eat seeds, yew, bramble and hawthorn but also supplement their diet with insects, beetles and berries, and they also like peanuts - so you may see them on your bird feeder!
Male Greenfinches are olive-green with striking yellow wing and tail markings, while females are generally browner and more subdued in colour. Despite their cheerful appearance, they are renowned for being the 'bullies' of the bird table, often squabbling with other birds over the best feeding spots!
A bird of West Sussex
Greenfinches are a year-round resident in West Sussex and can be found across the county's gardens, farmland, hedgerows and coastal scrub. The varied landscapes of the South Downs and surrounding countryside provide ideal feeding and nesting habitats.
If you're out walking in Arun's parks, nature reserves or countryside, listen out for their distinctive drawn-out "wheeze" call, often heard before the bird itself is spotted.
Nesting and breeding
The breeding season typically begins in spring, with Greenfinches nesting between March and August. Females build neat cup-shaped nests hidden in dense shrubs, hedges, or conifer trees, usually laying four to six eggs per brood. Pairs often raise two or even three broods during a successful season.
Did you know?
The collective name for a group of Finches is a charm; they nest in small colonies in trees and bushes and, on average, live for around two to three years.
In spring, they perform a display flight, showing off their yellow wing and tail patches.
Sadly, Greenfinch numbers have declined significantly across the UK since the mid-2000s due to a disease called 'trichomonosis', this is a disease caused by a tiny parasite that infects a bird's throat and upper digestive system. In simple terms, it makes it difficult for birds to swallow food and water, meaning they can eventually starve or become dehydrated. It particularly affects greenfinches and chaffinches.
The species is now on the UK's 'red list' of conservation concern, making every sighting even more special. Keeping garden feeders and bird baths clean can help reduce the spread of disease and support local bird populations.
Read more here: Greenfinch | The Wildlife Trusts