The brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) is a small migratory passerine bird in the finch family, also known as the “cock o’ the north” or “mountain finch.” It resembles the common chaffinch but is distinct with its black head, dark upperparts, orange breast, and white belly in breeding males. Females and younger birds are less distinctive.
Key differences include:
- The brambling has a white rump, while the chaffinch has a grey-green one.
- The brambling’s breast is orange with a white belly, whereas the chaffinch’s underparts are more uniformly colored.
- Bramblings have orange scapular feathers compared to the chaffinch’s grey.
- The brambling’s flanks are dark-spotted, and it lacks white outer tail feathers.
- The bill color differs: bramblings have yellow bills, while chaffinches have dull pinkish ones.
Measurements: Length: 16 cm, Weight: 23–29 g, Wingspan: 25–26 cm.
Bramblings breed in northern Europe’s forests and migrate to southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia for winter. The global population is estimated at 100 to 200 million, showing a decreasing trend. They prefer open coniferous or birch woodlands for breeding.
Bramblings are mostly migratory and form large winter flocks in Europe, sometimes numbering in the thousands or millions, especially when beech mast is plentiful. They do not rely solely on beech mast but will search for it to reduce competition with common chaffinches.
These birds typically breed at one year old, building nests high in trees using materials like lichen, grass, and feathers. The female lays 5–7 eggs, which are incubated for 11–12 days. Both parents care for the fledglings, which leave the nest after 13–14 days. Usually, only one brood is raised each year, though two can occur in northwest Russia. Their nests are threatened by predators such as carrion crows and are often parasitized by common cuckoos.
In winter, bramblings primarily eat seeds, while they consume insects in summer.
