Fun Brambling Bird Facts For Kids

A passerine bird that belongs to the finch family Fringillidae, the brambling bird (scientific name: Fringilla montifringilla) is known by several names such as the cock o' the north and the mountain finch. The species is a migratory bird and it is often seen in large flocks or groups.

The global population of bramblings sits at around 100-200 million, so these birds are widespread. They are found throughout the forests of northern Europe in their breeding season and you can find them wintering in parts of southern Europe, north Africa, northern India, northern Pakistan, Scandinavia, Japan, and China. During migration, a small population can also be observed in Alaska, and in other parts of the United States and Canada.

Bramblings resemble common chaffinches in both shape and size. The breeding plumage of the male is quite different as male birds have a brown body, a black head, an orange breast, a white rump, and a white belly. The bill is generally black or sometimes blue-gray. Female birds generally resemble non-breeding males, so the face and chin are generally gray-brown with broad gray borders, the eyes are black, and the underparts are pale orange buff. The flanks have some dark spots and the nape is also pale gray. Females and juveniles are similar in appearance to some chaffinches and these finches also possess long wings and tails. The average weight and length of the species are around 0.04-0.05 lb (21-24 g) and 5.51-5.9 in (14-16 cm) respectively.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species in the Least Concern category. The population of the species seems to be stable as of now.

For more relatable content, check out these rufous hummingbird facts and Inca dove facts for kids.

What type of animal is a brambling bird?

The brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) bird is a quite common migratory bird that belongs to the finch family (Fringillidae). This garden bird species is also known by several names such as cock o' the north and mountain finch. These birds generally resemble common chaffinches in shape and size.

What class of animal does a brambling bird belong to?

The brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) bird belongs to the class of Aves, the family of Fringillidae, and the Fringilla genus. Species such as the common chaffinch also belong to the Fringilla genus.

How many brambling birds are there in the world?

The global population of bramblings sits at around 100-200 million. In the United Kingdom, the population of wintering finches of this species is around 45,000-1,800,000 while in Europe, around 13-22 million pairs are found. Therefore the population seems to be stable as of now.

Where does a brambling bird live?

Bramblings are widespread, they are found throughout the forests of northern Europe in their breeding season and you can find them wintering in parts of southern Europe, north Africa, northern India, northern Pakistan, Japan, and China. During migration, a small population can also be observed in Alaska and other parts of the United States and Canada.

What is a brambling bird's habitat?

These finches generally inhabit subalpine birch woods, willow forests, or boreal forests. Bramblings tend to feed in shrubby habitats on the ground in the early breeding season, while they feed in less shrubby habitats throughout the year. These birds are also found in beech forests and agricultural fields during the autumn and winter.

Who do brambling birds live with?

In autumn and winter, bramblings form large flocks with a range of thousands to millions of birds in a single flock. During the breeding season, bramblings form smaller flocks.

How long does a brambling bird live?

The average lifespan of this garden bird is around 13-14 years in the wild.

How do they reproduce?

After arriving on the breeding grounds, bramblings form small flocks. Female bramblings generally choose which male birds to mate with based on their physical appearance and their songs. Bramblings do not breed in the United Kingdom, instead, they breed in Scandinavia and eastwards to Siberia.

Males and females generally choose the nesting site, and males defend the breeding territory while females protect the nest. Males can turn aggressive when it comes to dealing with intruders. They build cup-shaped nests while females lay around five to seven oval blue eggs with red markings. The incubation lasts for around 11-12 days for these eggs, while both parents feed the young birds seeds and insects once the eggs hatch.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species in the Least Concern category. The population of the species seems to be stable as of now.

What do brambling birds look like?

Bramblings resemble common chaffinches in shape and size. The breeding plumage of the male is quite different to that of females. Male birds have a brown body, a black head, an orange breast, a white rump, and a white belly. The bill is generally black or sometimes blue-gray. Female birds generally resemble non-breeding males; the face and chin are generally gray-brown with broad gray borders, the eyes are black, the underparts are pale orange buff and the flanks have some dark spots. The nape is also pale gray. Females and juveniles are similar in appearance to some chaffinches and these finches also possess long wings and tails.

How cute are they?

Bramblings are one of the most beautiful passerine birds, and males have a cute, unique feature of mimicking females in the breeding season. The long black wings and colorful plumage of this bird make the species even more fascinating. Anyone would love to witness large flocks of these birds. Also, the species resembles the common chaffinch bird, which is super cute!

How do they communicate?

Like the common chaffinch bird, bramblings also use similar methods to communicate with each other. They produce several songs and call notes; the most prominent call notes are 'tea-ep' and 'peck'. You can identify bramblings by their 'rrrryuh' song.

How big is a brambling bird?

The average weight and length of the species are around 0.04-0.05 lb (21-24 g) and 5.51-5.9 in (14-16 cm) respectively. These birds are twice the size of bee hummingbirds and ruby-crowned kinglets.

How fast can a brambling bird fly?

The speed of these birds in flight is not known as of now but since they are migratory birds, they have the ability to travel long distances to spend their winters in different regions. Also, during flight, you can see their white rump and orange breast.

How much does a brambling bird weigh?

The average weight of the brambling bird is around 0.04-0.05 lb (21-24 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names given to male and female birds of this species; people generally call them bramblings, mountain finches, and cock' o north birds. Female birds generally resemble non-breeding males; the face and chin are generally gray-brown with broad gray borders, the eyes are black, the underparts are pale orange buff, the flanks have some dark spots, and the nape is also pale gray.

What would you call a baby brambling bird?

The babies of brambling birds are known as chicks, these juvenile birds are very similar to young common chaffinch birds.

What do they eat?

These birds are omnivores and they generally prey on insects, seeds, grains, and nuts. Bramblings are preyed upon by various aerial birds such as falcons and hawks. In other parts of their range, they feed on seeds in agricultural fields and woods.

Are they dangerous?

Generally, these birds are not dangerous but they can attack with their sharp bill if someone tries to approach or threaten them or their territory.

Would they make a good pet?

Bramblings are migratory birds and they are not considered good pets but they tend to visit gardens in the winters. You might find one if you have a garden bird feeder in your yard.

Did you know...

The wingspan of brambling birds is around 9.84-10.23 in (25–26 cm).

What noise does a brambling make?

These birds are known for their distinct call notes and songs such as 'tea-ep', 'rrrryuh', and 'peck'. Studies also reveal that breeding males mimic females during the breeding season to attract them.

How many eggs do brambling birds lay?

Males can turn a bit aggressive when it comes to dealing with intruders as they are very protective of their eggs. They build cup-shaped nests and females lay around five to seven oval blue eggs with red markings. The incubation lasts for around 11-12 days and both parents feed the young birds seeds and insects when they hatch.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our red finch facts and lesser goldfinch facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.