Vincent van der Spek

Medium-sized passerine, feeds on seeds, berries, and (in summer) invertebrates, especially Lepidoptera larvae and beetles (Coleoptera); in winter quarters specializes in beechnuts Fagus sylvatica. Breeds across boreal and subarctic zones of west Palearctic, in the more open birch Betula woods, and in mixed forests of birch and conifers. Winters in Europe from S Sweden to N Morocco and from UK to Turkey and Georgia. The population trend appears to be decreasing, but not sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable. A medium distance migrant. Extent of movement is strongly dependent on food availability; local concentrations of millions of birds occur in south-central Europe.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		14000000-26000000,19500000
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 Brambling

Predominant direction of movement of Fennoscandian birds is NE - SW, with many connections with the Low countries, but also UK, C and S Europe. From the UK, movements are predominantly NW - SE, with connections with the Low countries, S and SE Europe. Birds from W Europe move mainly in NE - SW direction with connections with SW Europe and one in N Africa. Also movements in NW - SE directions with connections with C, S and SE Europe and one in Georgia. Birds from E Europe move mainly in NE - SW direction; most connections with C Europe but also with W and SW Europe. C Europe has connections with Georgia.

Recoveries by Condition for Brambling

Until 1987 annual number of encounters fluctuated around 700, only 1976 was much better with 1531 encounters. After 1987 six years followed with lower numbers between 158 and 531. From 1994 to 2002 numbers increased to the same level as before 1987. After 2002 average numbers  increased to around 2000, but with big fluctuations between 672 (2007) and 4005 (2006).
Most encounters are in January, then the numbers decrease gradually from February to May. In fall the peak is between 8 October and 7 November, followed by a second peak in December.
Before 1960 about 38% of recoveries were dead birds, between 1960 and 1990 this percentage was still relatively high with 30%. After 1990 about 3% concerned dead birds.

Annual Movements for Brambling

In Nov - Dec the hotspots are in the Low Countries and N Italy. Other encounters are spread over S Fennoscandia, UK, SW and C Europe and around the Black Sea. In Jan the hotspot in N Italy is gone and concentrations appear in S and SW France, Switzerland, and UK. In Feb only the hotspots in Switzerland and the Low Countries remain, few birds in S Europe and N Africa. In Mar - Apr birds move north, few birds left in France and C Europe. Birds move to Fennoscandia but still many birds in Low Countries and UK. In May most birds arrived in their breeding areas. From May - Aug few birds stay in the Low Countries, C Europe and N Italy. In Sep the first migrants arrive in UK, W and S Europe. In Oct birds have left N Fennoscandia and the hotspots in the Low Countries and N Italy build up.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Brambling

Birds from Fennoscandia are found in Lithuania in October and from October - March in the UK and W and S Europe. From January - March there are recoveries in Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Georgia. In September a bird was reported in Iceland. Birds ringed in the UK were found in Ireland, the Low Countries, France, N Italy and N Spain from October - March. Eastern Europan birds are reported in the Low Countries, Germany, Switzerland, France and N Italy from October - March. From December - February there are recoveries in Hongary and Czechia. Birds from W Europe are found in Iberia from November - March and in February in Morocco and Malta. Other birds moved to N Italy and were reported from August - February and more easterly in Romania, Bulgary and Georgia from December - March.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries