Greenfinch, Groenling, Grünfink, Verdilhão-comum, Verderón común
Spotted on Monte Horizonte in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Greenfinch sound
The European Greenfinch, or just Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. The genus Carduelis might be split up and in this case, the greenfinches would be separated in their old genus Chloris again.
This bird is widespread throughout Europe, north Africa and south west Asia. It is mainly resident, but some northernmost populations migrate further south. The Greenfinch has also been introduced into both Australia and New Zealand.
Woodland edges, farmland hedges and gardens with relatively thick vegetation are favoured for breeding. It nests in trees or bushes, laying 3-8 eggs.
This species can form large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixing with other finches and buntings. They feed largely on seeds, but also feed their young insects.
The Greenfinch is 14-16 cm in length and is similar in size and shape to a Chaffinch, but is mainly green, with yellow in the wings and tail. The female and young birds are duller and have brown tones on the back. The bill is thick and conical. The song contains wheezes and twitters, and the male has a “butterfly” display flight.
Other synonyms:
Asturian: Verderón
Breton: Ar meleneg Europa
Catalan: Verderol, Verdum
Catalan (Balears): Verderol
Czech: Zvonek zelený
Welsh: Llino Werdd, Llinos gwyrdd, Llinos werdd, Pila gwyrdd, Siencyn cywarch
Danish: Grønirisk
German: Gruenling, Grünfink, Grünling
English: Common Greenfinch, Eurasian Greenfinch, European Greenfinch, Greenfinch, Western Greenfinch
Esperanto: verda fringo
Spanish: Verdecillo, Verderón, Verderon Comun, Verderón Común
Spanish (Argentine): Verderón
Spanish (Uruguay): Verderón
Estonian: Rohevint
Basque: Txorru arrunta, Verdum
Finnish: Viherpeippo
Faroese: Grønígða
French: Verdier, Verdier d’Europe
Irish: Glasán Darach
Gaelic: Glaisean Daraich
Galician: Verderolo, Verdum
Manx: Corkan Keylley Glass
Croatian: Zelendur
Hungarian: Zöldike
Icelandic: Grænfinka
Italian: Verdone, Verdone eurasiatico, Verdone europeo
Japanese: aokawarahiwa, ookawarahiwa
Cornish: Melenek
Latin: Carduelis chloris, Chloris chloris
Maltese: Verdun
Dutch: Groenling
Norwegian: Grønnfink, Svenske
Polish: dzwoniec, dzwoniec (zwyczajny), Dzwoniec zwyczajny
Portuguese: sem nome, verdelhão, verdilhão, Verdilhão-comum
Portuguese (Brazil): Verdelhão
Romansh: Verdaun
Russian: Zelenushka
Northern Sami: Ruonábeibboš
Slovak: Stehlík zelený
Slovenian: zelenec
Albanian: Verduni
Serbian: zelentarka
Swedish: Grönfink
Turkish: Florya
Travel Birdwatching Holiday Alentejo, Vacation Portugal for birders to see birds on your trip