Greenfinch / Grünling oder Grünfink / Chloris chloris
Finken Fringillidae

The green finch is among one the most commony found birds living close to people. They live in parks and gardens, in avenues and orchards and also on the forest edge, or in well-let small thickets. They usually spend the winter in their home territory, with only the most northern specimens migrating south for the winter. Sometimes they form small flocks near their nesting grounds, to which they return in April. Their nest is built of roots and small twigs, being lightly lined with feathers, fur, and horsehair. They are to be found in elders on roadsides, on spruce, pine, arborvitaes, and also on fruit trees. The female incubates her 5-6 eggs alone for 13-14 days, and is fed by the male during this time. Both parents care for the young, bringing them mostly partially digested seed, but also here and there a caterpillar or spider. The adult birds feed mostly on seeds. After approximately 14 days the young have fledged, but are not yet able to fly. They sit on nearby twigs for a few days, where the adult birds feed them. In July or august the green finch often nests a second time. In winter they are among the most frequent visitors to bird feeders.

Egg size: 17,2 – 24,1 x 12,2 -6,1 mm
Length: 14,5 cm, the female is completely gray.

cluck: a light Gick gick gick"
Song: diffrent light sounds, like „kling kling girrr tjo tjo"

Breeding and care:

In order to successfully breed the greenfinch, they should either be kept in pairs in a roomy community aviary or in their own aviary with the following minimum measurements: 2m deep, 2m high, and 1.2 meters wide. About half of the aviary should be protected from wind and rain, and on hot days provide a shady area. In the enclosed portion, a nest should be available such as a canary basket, or So that the birds feel even safer, it should be densely surrounded with evergreen branches and twigs. Take care however, that observation of the nest and banding of the baby birds is still possible. As nest material I use horsehair, sisal, and coconut fiber, as well as plant silk from thistle, dandelion, and Scharpie. These finches will also breed in smaller cages, but the above measurements are what I use for 1-2 pairs of finches of this size. If the pair accept each other, courting and mating occur, then the nest is built, and finally the egg laying begins. After about 12 days the chicks hatch. The parents should be given a wide variety of fresh seed, even before the eggs hatch. I have never been able to establish if the birds use live food to feed the young. They are fed by both parents after the seventh day, being fed only by the hen up until this point.

Banding should occur on the 5th or 6th day after hatching. There are several color variations , such as loutino (yellow birds with red eyes), achat, Isabell, and brown. I personally had brown birds, and could not find any difference in their vigor from the natural form. Lastly, we don’t want to make another “canary” out of this bird. I say this without meaning to offend any breeders or keepers of this variety, as I myself have bred canarie-hybrids.

Food and Feeding

Movements