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Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebebs

The chaffinch arrives in Vaasa during April. Photo Jan Nyman.

General information. The chaffinch is, following the willow warbler, the most plentiful bird species in Finland. Its powerful call echoes throughout forests and parks during April and May, continuing to mid-June, after which their eagerness to sing rapidly decreases.

  • Length 17 cm
  • Nests in trees, most commonly birch or aspen trees
  • Winters in western Europe
  • Feeds on seeds, grain and insects

Habitat. The chaffinch thrives in all types of forests. The highest number of pairs per square kilometer is recorded in grove-like, mixed-type and deciduous forests. These biotopes have potential to support large population numbers, over 100 pairs/km². In coniferous forests, the chaffinch is more common than the willow warbler.

Distribution in Vaasa. The chaffinch is a common bird in all types of environments in Vaasa. It was recorded in about 280 survey blocks during the nesting season. It nests anywhere where a few trees form a copse and has also spread to the Vaasa archipelago. It is, however, absent from vast farmlands such as Söderfjärden.