Finches
Brambling
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups. Can also be in groups with Common Chaffinches.
White rump and orange buff chest in all plumages. Breeding males with shiny black head and back. Females and winter plumage appears very speckled/mottled, especially in flight. Tail slightly shorter than Chaffinch, more deeply forked and almost black. Flight undulated and bouncing.
Diet
The main food is insects, caterpillars, seeds, berries and nuts.
Longevity record
14 years 9 months (Sweden, 2197911)
Usually seen in
October - December
Occasionally seen in
January
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
14 - 16
19 - 28
Common Chaffinch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups.
Distinguished in all plumages by double wing-bars and white outer tail feathers. Male easily recognized by slate grey crown and nape, and pinkish face and underparts. Female with greyish green upperparts and whitish underparts. A long-tailed finch with peaked head. Appears more elegant in flight than other finches. Tripping gait when on ground.
Diet
Seeds, fruit, buds and shoots, insects, spiders, earthworms and snails eggs.
Longevity record
16 years 4 months (Italy, L 442566)
Sponsun
Fringilla coelebs
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
October - December
Occasionally seen in
January - May, September
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
14 - 16
16 - 30
Hawfinch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups but can be seen in larger flocks.
Very deep and heavy, conical bill. Large head and bull-neck, gives the bird a front-heavy appearance, especially in flight. The short tail adds to the impression. Wings with broad, white bars and tail with white terminal band. Bill grey in breeding plumage, and yellowish in winter. Largely unmistakable, but easily overlooked when hiding high in foliage. Often flies high, even for short distances. Flight heavily undulated.
Diet
Hard seeds from trees, together with fruit seeds which they can easily break with their tough beak. It can even break through the seeds of plums, cherries and even olive seeds. In winter, they commonly eat berries, pine seeds, sprouts and the occasional caterpillar.
Longevity record
12 years 7 months (Found dead in Germany, 7241335)
Usually seen in
March, October - November
Occasionally seen in
December - February, April
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
16.5 - 18
50 - 55
Common Rosefinch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
Adult male easily recognized by its red head, chest and rump. Females and juvenile males may be mistaken for House Sparrow or Corn Bunting, but are slimmer with shorter and deeper bill. Juvenile plumage olive-brown with dark streaking and buff double wing-bars. Posture often erect, but with short neck, making the bird seem long-tailed. Heavily undulated flight.
Diet
Feeds heavily on seeds but can also feed on fledglings insects, fresh buds, nectar, and small fruits.
Longevity record
8 years 11 months (Ring number read in the field in Finland, P-81988)
Usually seen in
October - November
Occasionally seen in
March, June, September
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
13.5 - 15
21 - 26
Trumpeter Finch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
Resident bird in Tunisia and West Africa. and occurs in semi-desert areas.
The Trumpeter Finch is a small, long-winged bird. It has a large head and short, very thick bill. The summer male has a red bill, grey head and neck, and pale brown upper parts. The breast, rump and tail are pink, the last having dark terminal feathers. Winter males, females and young birds are a very washed-out version of the breeding male. The song of this bird is a buzzing nasal trill, like a tin trumpet.
Diet
They are mainly vegetarian and their diet consists of small seeds, shoots and buds of grasses and low ground-loving plants. They will eat some insects as well, mainly grasshoppers.
Longevity record
-
Trumbettier
Bucanetes githagineus
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Rare
Usually seen in
Any month
Occasionally seen in
-
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11.5 - 13
20 - 23
European Greenfinch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen in groups, larger flocks but can also be seen individually.
Plumage green, grey and yellow. Note bright, yellow base of primaries and sides of tail in all ages and plumages. Deep and heavy conical bill. Tail forked and quite short. Plump build. Female more grey than male, with back diffusely streaked in brown and underparts greyish. Juveniles similar to females, with even more drab colours and heavier streaking (also on underparts). Strongly undulated flight. Often appears somewhat clumsy when trying to perch on feeders etc.
Diet
Their primary food is seeds. In the breeding season insects, including beetles, are eaten and fed to the young birds. Buds and shoots are also eaten.
Longevity record
13 years 7 months (Czech Republic, Z 1852)
Usually seen in
October - November
Occasionally seen in
December - April
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
14 - 16
25 - 35
Common Linnet
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen in groups, larger flocks but can also be seen individually.
In all plumages: Brown, unstreaked (or faintly streaked) back, grey bill, only faint wing-bars (or none), distinct white base to primaries and streaked throat. Both sexes with pale eye-ring and pale cheek patch. Breeding male distinct with slate grey head, cinnamon back, red chest and red forehead. Females and juveniles easily confused with Twite or Redpoll (both vagrants to the Maltese Islands) but note back and face pattern.
Diet
Their primary food is seeds. In the breeding season insects, including beetles, are eaten and fed to the young birds. Buds and shoots are also eaten.
Longevity record
9 years 5 months (Found dead in France, 1192972)
Ġojjin
Linaria cannabina
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
October - December
Occasionally seen in
all other months
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
12.5 - 14
15 - 21
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Red Crossbill
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually, in groups but can be seen in larger flocks. In October 2018, a flock of more than 60 birds had been seen passing from the West of Malta.
As mentioned in the name, the upper and lower mandibles are crossed. The tip of the lower mandible protrudes from behind the upper (tips of mandibles visibly crossing). The chest is less deep, and birds are not so front heavy. Dark wings and tail. Males with rufous red head and body, females green. Juveniles greyish green with streaking. They have an erect posture especially when foraging on ground.
Diet
Red Crossbills eat seeds of spruce, pine, hemlock or larch. To obtain these seeds, they first grasp the cone with one foot (normally, the foot that is on the side opposite to which the lower mandible crosses).
Longevity record
14 years 3 months (Czech Republic, RX 2233)
Usually seen in
June - November
Occasionally seen in
-
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
15 - 17
35 - 53
European Goldfinch
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually and occasionally in small groups.
Plumage stunningly colourful. Adults easily recognized by red face boldly framed in black and white. In all plumages; black wings with broad yellow panels, forked tail with white patches, and flashing white rump. Bill fairly long and pointed. Juveniles lack the red, black and white head, and are best identified by the contrasting wing-panel and white rump/tail patches. Light and bouncing flight, with bursts of wing-beats and variable acceleration.
Diet
Their diet in the wild is small seeds such as thistles and teasels, but insects are also taken when feeding young.
Longevity record
14 years 1 month (Found dead in the Czech Republic, T 104726)
Gardell
Carduelis carduelis
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Very scarce
Usually seen in
October - November
Occasionally seen in
all other months
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
12 - 13.5
15 - 19.5
European Serin
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small parties.
Small and compact, green and yellow bird. Smaller than Linnet and Siskin, with heavily streaked flanks, and stubby, deep and grey bill. Rump yellow in adults, but immature birds lack yellow tones in plumage altogether. Wing-bars narrow and much less marked than in Siskin, forehead in males bright yellow. Fairly long-winged with deeply forked tail. Flight light and bouncing. Song-flight of male characteristic, with butterfly-like gliding and slow-motion wing-beats.
Diet
Their diet in the wild is small seeds but insects are also taken when feeding young.
Longevity record
13 years 4 months (Found dead in the Czech Republic, N 13903)
Apparell
Serinus serinus
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Scarce
Usually seen in
October - January
Occasionally seen in
February - June
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11 - 12
10 - 13
Eurasian Siskin
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually, in small parties and occasionally in larger flocks. In 2019 there was a record passage of Eurasian Siskins.
Small green and yellow finch with contrasting dark wings and tail. Underparts whitish with grey streaking. Secondaries, inner primaries and outer tail feathers with yellow base. Relatively long and pointed bill as opposed to Serin. Male distinct with black crown and bib, bright yellow chest, throat and hind-cheeks. Female less contrasty, with more prominent streaking. Juveniles paler and duller than adults, with even heavier streaking than females.
Diet
Their diet in the wild is small seeds but insects are also taken when feeding young.
Longevity record
13 years 6 months (Russia, S 730968)
Ekru
Spinus spinus
Passeriformes
Fringillidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
October - January
Occasionally seen in
September, February - March
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Length (cm):
Weight (g):
11 - 12.5
10 - 15
*Some information was sourced from ''BirdID Nord University''.