File:Birds of Britain (1907) (14568745359).jpg

Identifier: birdsofbritain00bonh (find matches)
Title: Birds of Britain
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Bonhote, J. Lewis (John Lewis), 1875-1922 Dresser, Henry Eeles, 1838-1915
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain
Publisher: London, A. and C. Black
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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toe. In the young the featliers ofthe back have pale margins. Length 4*8 in.; wing 4 in. THE GREENFINCH Ligurinus chloris (Linnseus) Were it not so common, occurring abundantly through-out these islands, this bird would be appreciated as oneof our prettiest songsters and by no means unattractive inplumage. The winter is spent in company with other Finches andBuntings in the fields or stackyards, where it feeds on thegrain and other seeds, and we must confess that it performsits share in despoiling the farmer of his hard-earnedproduce, paying at the same time a sort of compensation inthe destruction of numerous weeds. It is resident, andtowards the middle of April constructs a somewhat untidynest of twigs, rootlets, and moss, lined with grass, hair, andfeathers, usually placed at a moderate height in a hedge,against the bole of a tree, or more rarely among ivy againsta wall. The eggs, six in number, are large for the size of 114 GREENFINCH Ligurinus chloris Male (below). Female (above)
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The Greenfinch the bird and very pale blue, spotted, especially towards thelarger end, with pale rust-red spots. During the summerlarge numbers of grubs and caterpillars are consumed inaddition to the usual seeds; the young are fed by regurgita-tion. The call-note is a long drawn-out tsweer, and isuttered with monotonous frequency during the spring andsummer months, but it has also a very pretty warbling songfull of little trills and modulations which it utters when sittingon a branch or when courting its mate with drooping wingsand outspread tail, and every feather on its body quiveringwith excitement and passion. The male has the upper parts olive green, rather yelloweron the rump and forehead. There is a golden-yellow eye-stripe. The wing feathers are dark brown with brightyellow outer margins. Tail feathei-s, except the centralpair, which are black, yellow at their base with black tips.Under parts greenish yellow, rather darker on the flanks.The females are much duller than the ma

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