# Common Chaffinch (*Fringilla coelebs*) The Common Chaffinch is a cheerful little bird with a lovely song. They have colorful feathers and love to hop around gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 31 - **Habitat:** Woodlands and gardens - **Also known as:** Chaffinch, European Chaffinch ![Common Chaffinch](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426497/objects/4565.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Chaffinch is a small, plump finch. Males have a blue-grey crown, reddish-pink breast and cheeks, and a brown back, while females are duller brown. Both sexes feature two striking white bars on each wing, making them easy to identify. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Fringillidae - **Genus:** Fringilla ## Interesting facts - Male Chaffinches learn their unique songs by listening to older males in their local area! - Some Chaffinches migrate thousands of kilometers, while others stay home their whole lives! - Their beak color changes with the seasons; grey in winter, blue in spring! - They often use spider silk to bind their nests together, making them extra sturdy! ## Special abilities - **Master Mimic:** Common Chaffinches can learn and vary their songs because of their flexible vocal cords, helping them communicate clearly. - **Seed Cracker Beak:** Common Chaffinches have a strong, cone-shaped beak that helps them efficiently crack open tough seeds for food. - **Camouflage Nest Builder:** Common Chaffinches can build intricate nests camouflaged with lichen and moss, helping them hide eggs from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 14-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 24.5-28.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.019-0.025 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-14 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 11-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding Common Chaffinches primarily eat seeds and insects, especially during breeding season. - **Age differences:** Younger chaffinches consume a higher proportion of insects for growth. - **Primary Foods:** seeds, caterpillars, beetles, berries, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common predator of adult Common Chaffinches. - **Depends on:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Provides seeds (acorns) and sheltered nesting sites. - **Eats:** Large White butterfly (*Pieris brassicae*) — Chaffinches feed on their caterpillars, especially in spring. - **Depends on:** [Garden spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) — Uses spider silk for nest construction. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Chaffinches are friendly and not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Chaffinch? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Chaffinch? 14-16 cm ### What is Common Chaffinch's wingspan? 24.5-28.5 cm ### How much does Common Chaffinch weigh? 0.019-0.025 kg ### How long does Common Chaffinch live? 2-14 years ### How fast can Common Chaffinch move? 50 km/h ### What does Common Chaffinch eat? Common Chaffinches primarily eat seeds and insects, especially during breeding season. ### Where is Common Chaffinch usually found? Woodlands and gardens ## Where to spot - [Zoo Dortmund](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-dortmund) — North Rhine-Westphalia, DE · Zoo - [Pairi Daiza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pairi-daiza) — Hainaut, BE · Zoo - [Zoo Berlin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-berlin) — Berlin, DE · Zoo - [Zoo de Castellar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-castellar) — Andalusia, ES · Zoo - [Elmwood Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elmwood-park-zoo) — Pennsylvania, US · Zoo - [Tiergarten Schönbrunn](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tiergarten-sch-nbrunn) — Vienna, AT · Zoo [View all places to see Common Chaffinch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-chaffinch) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Chaffinch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-chaffinch)