Citril Finch

Overview

The citril finch, also known as the Alpine citril finch, is a small songbird in the family Fringillidae. It is a resident breeder found in the mountains of southwestern Europe, ranging from Spain to the Alps.

Identification

• Overall length of 12 cm and a weight of approximately 12.5 g.
• Greyish upperparts with a brown tinge to the back and black streaks.
• Yellow underparts and double wing bars, accompanied by a bright yellow face mask.
• Song is a silvery twittering similar to the European goldfinch, with a main call of 'tee-ee'.

Habitat

The species inhabits subalpine coniferous forests and Alpine meadows, nesting primarily in pines and spruces. Its range extends from Spain to the Alps, with the northernmost breeding area located in the Black Forest of southwestern Germany.

Did you know?

Despite long being considered closely related to the European serin and the Cape canary due to their similarities, genetic studies revealed that it is actually more closely related to the European goldfinch, leading to its reclassification into the genus Carduelis in 2013.