Common chaffinch    Fringilla coelebs

Etymology: 

• Fringilla : Latin for Finch

• Coelebs : Latin word caelebs – Unmarried, Single . During the Swedish winter, only the female birds migrate south through Belgium to Italy, hence seem to be single 

Distribution in India: Winter visitor in Himalayas in North India.

Description: Size of 14–18 cm; weight of 17–29 g. It is a medium-sized finch with conical bill, peaked hindcrown and broad white wingbars. The Male of nominate race has black forehead, slaty grey-blue crown to upper mantle, with lores and face vinous-pink with orange tinge. The mantle and back are reddish-brown or chestnut, lower back to uppertail-coverts is olive-green, centre of tail is bluish-slate, narrowly edged green, rest of tail is black, outer two feathers broadly tipped white. The inner lesser upperwing-coverts and scapulars are bluish-green, median coverts and tips of outer lesser coverts are white, greater coverts are black, tipped white. The alula, primary coverts and flight-feathers are black, finely edged pale yellow or greenish-yellow forming pronounced panel on secondaries in winter, and bases of all except outermost three remiges white or yellowish-white forming small white patch on closed wing. The tertials are black, broadly edged and tipped pale buff (paler buff when worn). The underparts are vinous-pink, paler on lower breast and flanks, white on belly to undertail-coverts. In the fresh plumage (autumn), forehead is dark grey, crown to upper mantle are washed browner, mantle is browner, uppertail-coverts are grey-brown, tips of greater coverts are yellowish, and pink on face and underparts is duller. The iris is dark brown; bill is pale bluish-grey with dark tip, in winter becoming yellowish or buffish at base; legs are pale pinkish-brown to dark grey.

The female has head and most of upperparts dull earth-brown, tinged greyish, paler on centre of nape, diffused dark brown sides of crown and nape, sides of head and nape are washed greyish. The mantle is olive-brown, lower back and rump are yellowish-green, uppertail-coverts are duller yellowish-brown. The flight-feathers and tail as for male, but centre of tail is browner and entire outer tail feathers are white. It is dull buffish-brown below, often tinged greyer on breast and upper belly, lower belly is whitish, becoming whiter on undertail-coverts; bill is brownish, darkest at tip, palest at base of lower mandible.

The juvenile is similar to winter female, but more conspicuous buffish-white patch on nape, upperparts are more uniformly brown except for duller green rump, underparts are washed yellowish. The juvenile male has warmer tinge on mantle, and buffish-brown cheek and ear-coverts.

Habitat: It is found in lowland and lower montane deciduous, mixed and conifer woods with slight preference for beech, hornbeam, mature oak , spruce and pine, forest edges and glades. It is found from Sea-level to 2500 m.

Food habits: It eats small invertebrates and their larvae, also seeds and buds. It wades in shallow water; puts head beneath surface to collect caddis fly larvae and removes outer case as if it were a seed husk. On ground it has distinctive shuffling or jerky, forward-hopping or walking motion, simultaneously nodding head.

Breeding habits: They breed in mid-Mar to mid-Jul. they are monogamous, pair-bond frequently maintained into subsequent years The male displays to female by singing and by making low, short, undulating moth-like flight with wings extended and beaten rapidly while head and tail held low, and on landing crouches, turns sideways to female, becomes motionless, lifting or flicking wings, and then tilts body on side closest to female and raises wing for several seconds, revealing flanks and belly, before relaxing and moving off in moth-like flight to repeat display, or female flies in rapid zigzag chase with male in pursuit. The mating usually takes place towards start of nest-building, may be initiated by either sex, but successful only if female solicits with wings lowered and shivered, tail partly raised, and breast feathers fluffed while giving loud “seep” call. In early courtship the male initially dominant, but female gradually assumes dominance during egg-laying and incubation. The nest is, built entirely by female. The nest is a deep cup of plant fibres, grass, fine roots, lichens, moss, bark strips, animal hair and feathers, placed up above ground on branch, against trunk or in fork of tree or bush. They lay a clutch of 4–5 eggs. The eggs are pale bluish-green to light reddish, variably marked with purple-brown blotches, spots or fine streaks. The incubation is done by female, for a period of 10–16 days. The chicks are fed and cared for mostly by female, male contributes little or up to one-third of food for young. The nestling period is 11–18 days. The young are fed by both parents for up to 21 days after fledging.