Birds / Finches

Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Also known as European greenfinch

Common All year Gardens Farmland Towns

Test yourself

Recording: Sander Bot / xeno-canto

Sounds like

A long, wheezy 'dzweee' mixed with rippling trills, often delivered in a slow, floppy song flight.

Remember it

A drawn-out nasal wheeze, like a sigh through the nose.

When and where

Listening for the greenfinch

Heard: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mar to Jul
Time of day: Day
Where: Gardens, Farmland, Towns
In Britain: All year
Family: Finches

Side by side

Often confused with

Play them one after the other and listen for the difference.

Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

JFMAMJJASOND

A drawn-out nasal wheeze, like a sigh through the nose.

Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

JFMAMJJASOND

Wind chimes in a light breeze.

Linnet

Linaria cannabina

JFMAMJJASOND

A babbling, buzzy chatter. Listen for it around gorse.

Could you pick out a greenfinch?

Hear a song, choose from four birds, and build your streak.

Play the quiz

Same habitat

Also in gardens

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Blackbird

Turdus merula

JFMAMJJASOND

Slow, rich, fluting phrases that wander about and often trail off into a quiet chuckle.

Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

JFMAMJJASOND

Two or three thin, high notes followed by a fast, shimmering trill: 'tsee-tsee-tsuhuhuhu'.

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

JFMAMJJASOND

A cheerful, accelerating run of notes that tumbles down and ends in a flourish, repeated over and over.

Coal Tit

Periparus ater

JFMAMJJASOND

A fast, high, two-note phrase repeated several times: 'pitchoo-pitchoo-pitchoo'.