Greenfinch

Greenfinch are common in the Bailiwick although numbers seem to have fluctuated in recent years. They are attracted to garden feeders, especialy sunflower seeds, but not all gardens are enriched by their presence. I often see them near to where I live on L’Ancresse Common and near Fort Le Marchant and I regularly have about twenty that visit my garden. Some people report that they have not had Greenfinch in their garden for years.

I always assumed that ‘my’ Greenfinch were the same ones coming in every day. Now, I’m not so sure. We have been ringing good numbers at a location in St. Peter Port and every day when we are there, new birds are coming in. In a period of just over five weeks in autumn 2021, we ringed 144 Greenfinch, only 9 had already been ringed.

It is encouraging to see that all the Greenfinches seen so far have been healthy. A parasitic disease, Trichomonosis, has caused a significant decline in Greenfinch and, to a lesser extent Chaffinch populations, since around 2006. Infected birds are very lethargic and fluff up their feathers. The mortality rate is very high. The disease spreads where finches are in close contact with each other so if you do put out food and water it is important to keep feeders and bowls clean and water fresh. I’ll admit it’s not my favourite job – the feeders can be quite fiddly to dismantle, but as I encourage wildlife into my garden it is only sensible to keep feeders hygienic as the birds are in a more concentrated area than they would be in the wild.

Greenfinch adult males are a brightly coloured lovat green, according to my trainer, (I had to look that one up online), with some almost canary yellow on their underparts, primaries and tail feathers. Their face is finged with grey. The females have much more brown streaking mixed into their plumage.

The strong , robust beak is very noticeable. It is interesting to see them on the feeders using their tongue and beak to select the best seed – small seeds are dropped – and then position it in their beak before cracking it open. I haven’t yet caught a Greenfinch on camera, but have included a photo of a House Sparrow showing this behaviour.

Sunflower hearts are a less messy alternative, but I collect the husks to compost as my soil is basicallly brown sand. Seeds that are dropped are enjoyed by Chaffinch, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon and the local Pheasant.