Large and powerful finch breeding over much of Europe from C Sweden, S Finland far into Russia, S to S France to Greece, C. Spain. Race buvryi in NWAfrica, nigricans Crimea, Caucasus. Sedentary, locally dispersive or partially migratory in Europe. Prefers broadleaved woodland; reaches highest densities in broadleaved forests in UK (Kirby et al 2015), also in mixed forest, parks and gardens; orchards, olive groves, steppe-woodlands and thorn thickets in S. Diet predominantly seeds, buds and shoots of trees and shrubs, nestlings fed with small invertebrates. 2,600,000-5,070,000 breeding pairs in Europe, moderately increasing.