Hans Joachim Fünfstück

Finch endemic in Europe. Breeds in mountain ranges, mainly associated to conifer forests, from W Iberia to Alps (BirdLife International 2022). Populations vary from resident to short-range migratory.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendFluctuating
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		502000-569000,530000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Citril Finch

Most recoveries obtained at <500 km from ringing site; indeed even more than 50% at less than 250 km. Few ring-recovery data though, however, still allow us to infer some main movement patterns. Populations from SW Europe (Spain) show within-Iberia dispersal or true migrations, e.g. from W to E Pyrenees or between nearby mountain ranges in Spain (Alonso & Arizaga 2004, Borràs et al. 2010). Populations from SW France/Alps move SW in autumn, even reaching Iberia (E Pyrenees or other mountain areas across E Spain). Exceptional recovery of a bird from Alps to Apennines (Italy).

Recoveries by Condition for Citril Finch

Overall, practically all recoveries due to birds recaptured alive by ringing. Before 1990, however, around 20% of recoveries were due to birds found dead, sick or wounded.

Annual Movements for Citril Finch

Migration in autumn takes place from Sep-Oct to Nov. Birds remain at their wintering sites up to Feb, returning to their breeding quarters in Mar-Apr.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Citril Finch

Breeding quarters in places from Spain (e.g., W Pyrenees) left in winter, when birds move mostly to E/SE. After breeding, dispersal from conifer forests to nearby mountain pastures common (Borràs et al. 2003, Alonso & Arizaga 2004), then migration to winter quarters in Sep-Oct; return to breeding quarters in Mar-Apr (Alonso & Arizaga 2004). Recoveries of citril finches caught in passage in Col de Bretolet (Alps) mainly in summer (Aug, Sep) concentrated in S France, up to (more rarely) E Iberia, mainly from Nov to Feb. Many of these birds from Alps come from breeding quarters in S Germany (Förschler & Kalko 2007).

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Alonso, D., Arizaga, J.2004 . El verderón serrano (Serinus citrinella) en Navara: parámetros fenológicos y movimientos migratorios. Munibe 55: 95–112
BirdLife International 2022 . Species factsheet: Carduelis citrinella.
Borrás, A., Cabrera, T., Cabrera, J., Senar, J. C.2003 . The diet of the Citril Finch (Serinus citrinella) in the Pyrenees and the role of Pinus seeds as a key resource. Journal Fur Ornithologie 144: 345–353
Borrás, A., Senar, J. C., Alba-Sánchez, F., López-Sáez, J. A., Cabrera, J., Colomé, X., Cabrera, T.2010 . Citril finches during the winter: patterns of distribution, the role of pines and implications for the conservation of the species. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 33: 89–115
Förschler, M. I., Kalko, E. K. V.2007 . Geographical differentiation, acoustic adaptation and species boundaries in mainland citril finches and insular Corsican finches, superspecies Carduelis [citrinella]. Journal of Biogeography 34: 1591–1600

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