Michele Mendi

Finch breeding mostly in Europe, also in N Africa up to some areas from the Middle East up to the W border of the Himalayas. Strategies vary from resident to partial migrant or migratory (BirdLife International 2021).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		41500000-64400000,50800000
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 European Greenfinch

European populations show a main NE-SW axis of migration, with also parallel migration patterns. W/S European resident, they show short-range movements which show local dispersal, rather than true migrations. Birds from NW Europe (UK) move mainly within the island. Birds from N Europe (mainly from Scandinavia) move SW to reach a broad wintering range from NW Europe to Iberia, a few even pass over Gibraltar to NW Africa. Birds breeding in further E regions (E Baltic, E Europe) follow an E-ward biased flyway, reaching from C Europe to E Spain and Italy. Birds from SE Europe show a SE axis of migration, up to to S Greece and the E circum-Mediterranean area.

Recoveries by Condition for European Greenfinch

Highest majority of recoveries (ca. 80%) due to birds found alive, mostly recaptures (ring recoveries). Before 1990, however, around a half of recoveries were caused by birds found dead, sick or wounded, a pattern that clearly changed from 1991 to present, when this fraction is just less than 10%. Nowadays, more than 90% of recoveries come from birds seen alive, mostly recaptures from ringing.

Annual Movements for European Greenfinch

Migration in autumn patent in Oct. Migratory populations/individuals live in sympatry with resident ones in winter. Return back to breeding quarters starts in Mar, peaking in Apr. Warmer winters probably promote increasing sedentarism in populations (e.g., Stervander et al. 2005).

Connectivity by Month by Region for European Greenfinch

Across the Atlantic façade, N European populations show recoveries from S Scandinavia to Iberia mostly in winter, from Oct-Nov to Feb-Mar. Similar patterns for the populations from C/E Europe, though in this case recoveries from C Europe concentrate mainly in S France up to the S part of the Alps and recoveries from E Europe concentrate mostly in Italy and the W coasts of the Balkan peninsula. Recoveries in NW Africa mainly from Feb to Mar, of birds from W/SW Europe, that could however being part of flocks on passage with a further N European origin.

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
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Chloris chloris.
Stervander, M., Lindström, Å., Jonzén, N., Andersson, A.2005 . Timing of spring migration in birds: long-term trends, North Atlantic Oscillation and the significance of different migration routes. Journal of Avian Biology 36: 210–221

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