Common chaffinch / Buchfink (Fringilla coelebs)

Buchfink im Wald Fehraltorf. 2026-04-21 17:35:38 Wald Fehraltorf

Observations

First documented observation: 2019-06-04 at the Luppmen. Most recent observation: 2026-04-28 in Switzerland.

Description

Classification: Genus Fringilla (Fringilla); Subfamily Fringillinae (Fringillinae); Family Fringillidae (Fringillidae)
General: Heard everywhere locally but less often seen. In winter 2020-2021 it often accompanied tits to our feeder (2021-2022 less often). While they grabbed sunflower seeds, the chaffinch would hunt for food on the ground or in bushes.
General: On Dec 8 2021, was surprised to see flocks of collared doves, chaffinches and a few sparrows in a harvested corn field as it was snowing. I wasn't aware that chaffinches formed flocks, but the Merlin BirdID app told me 'forms flocks in winter'.
General: I've caught it on stubby branches of an evergreen, in a lone tree in a farmyard, and in Brittany even on a lightpost. And I seem to see one every time I go to Zurich, so they're happy in an urban setting.
General: Deutschland: Brut-, Jahres-, Zugvogel, Wintergast
Etymology: Als Kontakt- und Alarmruf dient «pink», von dem wahrscheinlich die deutsche Bezeichnung «Fink» herkommt. [Von BirdLifes Schweizer 'bird song' Website]
Anderen Quellen zufolge wird dieser Ruf nur als „Regenruf“ bezeichnet, weil er lautmalerisch als „trief“ gedeutet wird. [Link]
Appearance and identification: Interesting tidbit: the chaffinch is one bird that can change colors without molting. Its new feathers in autumn are grayish, but by late spring the edges of the feathers have worn away, revealing the chaffinch's brightest colors of the year. [Lovette and Fitzpatrick's Handbook of Bird Biology]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 07-31
Migration in: 02-20 - 04-15
Migration out: 09-10 - 11-15
More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14 cm, wingspan=24-28 cm, weight=18-29 g
Habitats: Forest
Social groups can include up to 10 members.

Vocalisation

Song: General: A medium long phrase that slowly descends (I think of it bouncing down a staircase), then usually takes a jump up before a final descent.
Song: In Bavaria the mnemonic for the typical chaffinch song is: „Ich hätte gerne ein Weizenbier“, i.e. "I'd like another Weizenbier". [DasHaus]
Song: Song a falling 5 sec. phrase "zitt-zitt-chep-chepp-chu-chu-churrurrwitt". Structurally similar to Willow Warbler, but with a conclusive, ascending and accented ending, and with a much harder, finch-like, timbre. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic (mmmmmmmmLlhH), slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz) Singing season: 02-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 10 minutes before dawn.
Fehraltorf - Buchfink Gesang-Variante, steigt am Schluss - . Fehraltorf 2024-04-30 12:55:00 Melody: mmmmmmmmLlhH ♫ 2024-04-30 12:55:00 Fehraltorf (song)

Mettmenalp, 11-Sekunden-Version, MerlinBirdID meint Buchfink-Rufe l,l,lhh l,hh. Mettmenalp, GL 2024-06-25 08:29:58 Melody: l l lhh l hh ♫ 2024-06-25 08:29:58 Source: Zoom H6/H2n Mettmenalp, GL (call)


Birdnet 1449 - Common Chaffinch but who is the behind him - Common Chaffinch - Fehraltorf. Fehraltorf 2021-04-19 14:29:22 Melody: hhll ♫ 2021-04-19 14:29:22 Source: BirdNet 20210419_142922 birdnet 1449 - Common Chaffinch but who is the hhll behind him - Common Chaffinch - Fehraltorf.mp3 Fehraltorf (song)

1: General: Repeated ascending note, faster than the long starling whoops, about 2/seconds - compare with the black redstart. There are many different calls, the Marler book describes the 'chink' call as functioning as a mobbing and separation call. At XenoCanto I find calls described as "ping", "pik" (same thing?), "pchew", "duit", "huit", "ti-huit".
Call: Der sogenannte Regenruf der Männchen, „schrrüt“, der selbst in benachbarten Ortsteilen deutlich variieren kann, erklingt nur während der Brutzeit. Als Regenruf wird er bezeichnet, weil er kurz vor oder sogar während des Regens zu hören ist, wenn die anderen Vögel verstummen. [DasHaus]
Rain call from XenoCanto

Rain call from XenoCanto Recorded by Paul Driver in Mundford, Norfolk, UK
♫

2: Call: Als Alarmsignal dient ein mehrsilbiges „pink“. [DasHaus]
Ping call from XenoCanto

Ping call from XenoCanto ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC460303 common chaffinch ping call.mp3 (alarm call)


Call attributes: rain call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 3-5 KHz, Special sounds: whoop.