Alongside the woodpecker’s drumming and the great tit’s squeaky bicycle pump, the bouncing ball cascade of the chaffinch is a welcome soundtrack to later winter.
The sound is sometimes likened to the rhythm of a bowler running in to deliver a cricket ball.
Another way to think of it: imagine the chaffinch is throwing the song down three wide steps, from its perch to the ground.
It’s as if the notes bounce a few times on each step before rolling to a stop at your feet.
Chaffinches like to deliver their cheerful notes from mid-height - above the robins and dunnocks, but not as loftily as the thrushes. They will often sit out in the open, allowing a glimpse of the orange-pink of their neck, chest and belly.
Famously there are distinctive regional variations in the song. A chaffinch in Scotland is likely to sound different to one in Sussex.
The notes at the end show most variation, but the number and tone of the ‘steps’ can change too. Compare this next one to the one above.
Helpfully the overall pattern of the song retains a recognisable shape, so unlike great tits and song thrushes they don’t normally pose an identification headache.
Pink ‘pink!’-er
When they’re not singing, chaffinches have a sophisticated range of other calls, from a soft ‘hueet’ to a repetitive ‘chip’ to an exclamatory ‘chink!’ or ‘pink!’ - once you know that last one you are bound to notice many more chaffinches around you while out walking.
Little extras
Chaffinches have the widest diets of any of our finches, which helps them make a living across most habitats in the UK.
The chaffinch’s Latin name Fringilla coelebs (coelebs = bachelor) refers to the all-male winter flocks that are noted in northerly places such as Sweden. Females tend to winter further south.
You can identify females by the extensive white in the wings and the outer tail feathers. Both features are particularly noticeable when the bird flies.
Next week: Woodpigeon
There’s a new Shriek of the Week every Friday. If you have a friend who might like a dose of birdsong in their inbox, please pass this along.
If you’d like to join me and others for a free early morning listen to the birds via Zoom, get a ticket for Up With the Birds. Our next session is this Saturday (26 Feb 2022) at 6.45am. All welcome.
And finally, the 10-week Birdsong Essentials course begins… today! It features:
step-by-step audio guides to over 25 species
early morning group practice sessions
ID support from me throughout via WhatsApp & email
discounted rates on in-person walks in Sussex
There’s still time to join before the first live practice session.
And if you like to take part, but the full fee isn’t manageable for you, please get in touch to discuss a low-cost option.
That’s it for this week. Enjoy the birds.
~ Charlie
Media credits:
Thanks to the British Library for their recordings.
Photo 1 by Jonny Gios on Unsplash
Photo 2 by Oldiefan on Pixabay